


The Glass House

by Sashataakheru



Category: Australian Comics RPF, The Chaser RPF
Genre: 100000-150000 Words, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, BDSM, Brainwashing, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Multi, NaNoWriMo, Rough Sex, Torture, Violence, depictions of war, novel-length epics of doom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-14
Updated: 2010-03-21
Packaged: 2017-10-07 23:37:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 31
Words: 131,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/70428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set 20 years into the future, Australia has slowly descended into fascism. The Government rules the people with an iron fist, and the winged humans, created by The Government in a past incarnation, have become the newest threat to national security. Not even recognised as human by the State, the winged humans decide it's time to fight back after one of their leaders is captured by the Army and made an example of, heralding in a new era of tightened security, aggressive oppression, and the all-pervasive Armed Forces ruthlessly hunting down anything with wings, whether they can fly or not. The plot is set. Overthrow this vicious Government and end twenty years of tyranny. The axe falls on November 29th, but can a small army of winged humans overthrow the might of a Government prepared to do anything to remain in power?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to _The Glass House_, and to Wil, Corinne and Dave, who gave us 5 years of awesomeness, silly hats and penguin love.
> 
> Please heed the warnings. This ain't a nice story. :/
> 
> Background:  
> I started this for NaNoWriMo 2006 and finished it the next year. I've been editing it, on and off, since then. It's fluctuated in the number of chapters it would have and finally settled on 31. Finally it is complete and I can work on other projects now. :D
> 
> Completed length: ~131k  
> Date started: 1/11/2006  
> Date completed: 21/3/2010  
> Beta: rana_narsilion

"Chas, your call," said Chris, acting as dealer for this round.

Chas took a quick look at his cards. Queen-ten offsuit. Not a bad hand, but he was losing. He glanced at the first three cards lying face up on the table. Two, five, Jack. Not enthrallingly helpful, and all clubs as well. Though he had a small chance of making a straight, if he got the nine and the eight, but considering his rotten luck so far this evening, he wasn't confident. Still, he was never one to shy away from risks, and losing was something he wasn't keen on.

Julian was winning, as usual, but Chas never liked to lose when Julian won because Julian saw fit to ignore him all evening and treat him like a simple pet, which Chas never really enjoyed as much as cuddling up with him. Well, no, he did like being Julian's puppy; he just didn't like being ignored, especially not by Julian.

"I'm all-in," Chas said, pushing his small stack of chips to the centre of table. If he couldn't make a hand, at least he might be able to scare the others off. There was a lot in the pot already, and he couldn't afford to lose this hand.

"Got something at last, hey?" Andrew teased.

"We'll see, Andrew. We'll see," Chas said.

Chris collected the chips and counted them. "Chas is all-in. $2,300 to call, guys," he said, turning to Andrew who was sitting beside Chas.

Andrew quickly glanced at his cards – two sevens offsuit – and decided the flop wasn't looking helpful, and folded. Tim called with a Jack-eight suited. Julian didn't bother looking at his two Kings before calling. Adam decided to call and see the turn with his suited Queen three.

Being the only one all in, Chas, Tim, Julian and Adam turned their cards face up, bringing them over by the flop. Chas didn't like Julian's two Kings. Julian had a nasty habit of winning hands like this. Chris gave a quick look at everyone before dealing the turn.

Chas remained as calm as he could manage as Chris dealt the turn card, revealing a nine. Just what he wanted. Maybe his luck was changing.

With only a short pause for whatever that word is that I still can't think of, Chris dealt the river, the eight of hearts. Chas couldn't help a half-smile as he realised he'd won. Tim's two pair failed dismally at beating Chas' straight draw.

"Damn your straight draw," Tim said.

"Nice straight draw there, Chas," Chris said, ignoring Tim's comments.

"Thanks. It's about time I got some luck around here," Chas said, gathering his chips together and stacking them up in piles.

Chris gathered the cards up and shuffled them, handing them over to Hamish to deal. Hamish took the cards, shuffling them awkwardly. It was his first poker match with the group and he wasn't confident he'd win. It certainly wasn't his first poker match, he'd spent many a drunken night with his best mate Andy playing poker into the early mornings, but he wasn't used to playing with so many other people he didn't know very well, nor with a standing bet as serious as this was. The most he'd ever played for was $150 and Andy doing his cleaning for a month. This one was a step up from that; it had taken Adam some convincing before Hamish agreed to come along. Hamish wasn't keen on having to be slave to someone else other than Adam, let alone having to have sex with anyone other than Adam. But he had a few beers in him now, and things didn't seem quite so bad. It was rather enjoyable, and he wasn't doing too badly. He'd had a couple of decent wins, boosting his confidence and reassuring him somewhat.

Hamish stood up to deal the cards, dealing two to everyone who was playing. It was about 11pm now, and the beer hadn't quite run out yet. But there were a lot of people here. Julian and Charles were playing, Chris and Andrew were playing, Tim was playing, Adam was playing, Dom and Shane had left angry!Gregor and Timmy on haven security to come and play, Chas was playing, and Craig was playing when he felt like it, when he wasn't hanging around sulking. Every now and then Craig gave his wings an angry flap, sending the cards flying if they weren't being held onto. His mood was not helping anyone. Even Julian stopped to tell him to piss off and sulk on his own, which Craig did for a while, hanging around outside on Adam's balcony, staring out at the city.

No one could quite work out what was bugging Craig. Julian had a few ideas, being a winged human alone was enough to make anyone depressed considering what the State liked doing to them, but he was certain Craig's problems were much closer to home than anything the State was or wasn't doing.

Julian liked to think he knew everything that was going on within their small band of rebels. He made it his priority to know what was going on. It was partly for their own safety. They had to stay one step ahead of the State in order to stay alive. Harbouring winged humans was as good as treason, and a crime punishable by death, if you were lucky. Julian kept a close eye on everyone, making sure there were few or no disagreements, besides which someone had to act as a mediator or everyone would be at each other's throats all the time. They might all be on the same side, but that didn't mean they all got along.

Julian was well aware of the rather public, so to speak, and messy break-up between Chris and Craig that had caused a rather large rift among their small group. Gossip spread rapidly in the haven where they were all holed up and soon everyone knew what had happened. Craig had not taken it well, as you would expect when someone tells you they never loved you when they're making out with their ex. Craig had been difficult before, especially back when their band of rebels included more wingless humans than winged ones, but after the break-up, he became impossible to handle. It was as if he was premenstrual all the fucking time, constantly picking fights with everyone and gradually isolating himself from the rest of the group as he spent more time alone sulking. Most people could gather the reason why he was sulking, but Craig never let on if they were right, and after a while, they gave up trying to figure him out. The rule was never to go near Craig when he was sulking as it invariably ended in violence, no matter what the problem was.

He was doing this now, having decided he wasn't going to play any more hands. He hadn't had many good hands anyway, but he hated having to be in the same room as Chris, especially when he was getting all cutesy with Andrew. He didn't care about the game anymore. Fuck the bet. He hated that Julian had dragged him along to this. Julian had insisted, had threatened to keep him chained, collared and leashed if he didn't come willingly. Aghast at the prospect of being treated like a pet, Craig had agreed, and cursed Julian for knowing exactly how to make him agree to his wishes.

Now Craig was sitting on the couch on the balcony, his wings drooped over his back, matching his mood. No one dared go near him, not after he got mad and yelled at Dom and Julian in their attempt to help him. Hamish glanced over at the balcony, seeing Craig's slumped figure on the couch. For a moment, he wondered if he shouldn't go see if he was alright, but those wings… he didn't want to mess with them. Craig was rather overprotective of his wings, and that coupled with his rather bitchy mood meant he really didn't want to go near those wings. Still, Craig's moodiness bothered Hamish, though he didn't know why. He'd heard about the break-up, but Adam hadn't wasted his breath on the details, and Hamish wasn't interested anyway. He didn't worry much about it though as Adam reminded him to pay attention to the game at hand.

"You are going to concentrate tonight, yeah?" Adam said, breaking Hamish's reverie.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sorry," Hamish said, finishing dealing the cards and sitting back down, waiting for everyone to move.

"You're everywhere but here tonight, you know, Hamish. Something wrong?" Adam said.

"Nah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Hamish said.

"If you insist," Adam said, glancing at his cards.

Hamish looked at his cards and immediately folded. Three four offsuit. He hated getting low hands like that. Chris, Tim and Adam all folded as well. Then the betting began once the blinds were paid. Hamish never paid much attention to hands he wasn't involved in, so there was only a vague interest when Charles lost the hand by bluffing too much when he had nothing and Julian took almost all his chips. He wasn't too worried about losing too badly anyway. Adam had made sure he was immune from the standing bet for the night, so if he lost badly, he wouldn't have to be anyone's slave. Either way, Adam was still in charge. If Hamish lost, Adam could agree to go in his place, which Hamish was thankful for.

Hamish was quickly losing interest in poker, though. He should probably stop drinking. Craig was bothering him again and he still couldn't work out why. Once his round as dealer was over, Hamish left the game and headed out to the balcony, wanting to make sure Craig was ok. The cool night air rushed out to greet Hamish's warm skin, but the shock didn't last and Hamish came to rest on the balcony, gazing over the city, not looking at Craig slumped in the couch behind him. Hamish didn't dare say anything for a long time, ignoring the others playing inside.

"Who dumped you, Craig?" Hamish said, somehow guessing the reason for his sulking without knowing it.

Craig looked up sharply at him, angry that his peace had been disturbed, but even angrier that Hamish had guessed correctly. He wanted to tell him to fuck off, but Hamish didn't seem like he was going to care who it was, causing Craig to let his guard down somewhat.

"It was Chris, if you really want to know. I wouldn't be so angry if he hadn't hooked up with Andrew the very same night he dumped me," Craig said quietly.

"Oh, man, that's harsh," Hamish said. "You gonna be alright?"

"Most probably, but it's hard to believe it right now," Craig said.

"You'll find someone else. You're gorgeous, you are. Who wouldn't want you?" Hamish said, trying to be helpful.

"Chris. I feel so stupid for wanting him still, but I've never been so in love with anyone else before. That sort of love is going to take some time to get over," Craig said.

Thanks for not turning into a whingeing diva, Craig. Much appreciated. _I'm not in the mood to be bitchy to anyone right now. Shut up and leave me alone._ I can't. _You're in my story. I'm not sure I want to be anymore._ Too late for that, love.

Hamish turned to face Craig, leaning against the balcony railing. "You'll get over him. Go out and meet someone new. Don't spend all your time hanging around moping like a 6 year old. It's doing no one any good," he said.

Craig sighed. "You may have a point there," he said.

"Come back in and play. Go in and beat him. That should bring some semblance of satisfaction, yeah?" Hamish suggested.

"Nah, I might just-"

"Go on, it'll be fun. Adam said you loved playing poker," Hamish said.

"I did, when I was with Chris. I loved him cuddling me when we played. He made me believe that he loved me, but it was all a façade. He's never stopped loving Andrew. I was just a useless fuck toy. God I feel so dirty," Craig said. He refused to believe Chris could possibly want a human over a fullwing like himself. It just hammered home the injustice of it all, even if it had had nothing to do with it at all.

"How long ago did you break up?" Hamish said.

"Ages ago. It's been a few months, I think. I haven't really been paying attention. God, he broke my heart when he said he didn't love me," Craig said.

"I can imagine," Hamish said.

Craig buried his head in his hands, and Hamish wasn't sure if he was crying or not. His wings curled around him, almost hiding him from view.

"Come here, Craig. It'll be alright, just you wait and see," Hamish said, leaning down to grab Craig's arms.

Craig let Hamish pull him into his arms, sobbing against his chest as if Chris had just broken up with him hours earlier. My, you are in a melancholy mood tonight, Craig. _Shut up. Stop talking to me. Just shut the fuck up and write, dammit._ First time you've told me that, Craig, dear.

"It'll never be alright. If Adam dumped you tomorrow, how long do you think it'd take you to get over it, hey?" Craig said angrily, glancing up at Hamish.

"That's not something I like thinking about," Hamish said dismissively.

"Consider it then. Go on, admit it. You'd be as broken as me," Craig said, forcing Hamish to meet his gaze.

"Are you sure you're ok, Craig?" Hamish said, avoiding his question, surprised at his sudden mood change.

"I'm fucking fantastic," Craig said. The anger in Craig's eyes and his voice scared Hamish. "Get back in there. Adam's waiting for you. Leave me the fuck alone," he said, pushing away from Hamish.

With a quick glance back at Craig, Hamish returned inside, happy to not be dealing with Craig's sulking any more. He sat down beside Adam again, wanting to distract himself with some more poker.

"Fuck, Craig. Julian, look!" Adam said, pointing towards the balcony where Craig now stood on the edge of the railing, wings spread in preparation for flight. Well, why have wings if you can't fly with them? Happy now, Craig? _Relatively speaking, yes._ Good.

Julian turned to see what Adam wanted. "Oh, leave him. If he wants to fly off again, let him. It'd be better than letting his foul mood spoil our game. Keep playing," he said, ignoring Craig. _Yeah, that'd be right. Ignore the fuck out of me, Julian. What do I have to do to make you pay attention to me? Do I need to kill Charles and Chas before you'll even notice me?_

With only a slight glance back at the others inside the flat, Craig launched into the air, flying through the night. No, Craig, you can't turn into some gargoyle type thing. You're a human with wings. That's as lenient as I get, considering this wasn't supposed to be a fantasy story at all. No, you can't be a vampire either. _Why not?_ Because I said so. _You're no fun._ That's why I'm the narrator and you're bound by what I want. _But, I have wings. Can't I be at least a little bit evil?_ You're hell bent on getting Chris back. Isn't that enough? _I'd make a great bad guy._ No, stop trying to be something you're not and just fly around for a while. _Can I scream and howl and scare people?_ If you must. But don't get caught. You're not supposed to get in trouble yet. _What do you mean, not yet? What are you planning?_ That's for me to know and to reveal at my discretion. Now let me write already. At least you're in a better mood today. I missed your snarky commentary yesterday. _Aww, how sweet. See, I am your favourite, aren't I?_ If you say so. Like your ego needs it anyway. _Oh, shush._

"If you say so, Jules. I just hope you know what you're doing with him. I hope he doesn't hurt himself," Adam said, sitting back down again.

"He'll be fine. He's been doing this since you know when. We'll find him at home in bed when we finish up here. Don't worry about him," Julian said.

Taking Julian's advice, Adam continued playing, watching Craig vanish into the night, his haunting screaming echoing through the air. It was kinda eerie, really. A sudden rush of luck sent Adam straight to the lead, and Chas watched impressed as Julian kept losing hands he should've won.

It was well after midnight when they finally finished, Adam emerging victorious, much to Hamish's delight. One spectacularly big bluff and Charles was Adam's, for a night at least. They always played down to the wire, when there were only two players left, both doing their best not to lose with everyone else cheering and taking sides. Charles secretly hid his delight in having lost. He always loved being Adam's, because he knew he'd get two of the kindest people looking after him, people who should be as scarred and jaded as Andrew and Craig appeared to be, but had somehow got through all that shit and still had some hope for the future.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hamish goes after Craig, Adam goes all protective and Craig feels the need for some stress relief.

Adam and Hamish crashed to bed around 2am, inebriated, happy and ready for sleep, having thrown everyone else out earlier once the match had finished. Hamish was snuggled up close to Adam, head resting on his chest, but, much as Hamish tried to sleep, he couldn't. He lay there listening to Adam drift off. He couldn't stop worrying about Craig. He didn't know him that well, but he could see he needed someone to just be there for him. It was dangerous for fullwings to be out in the open, especially when they were as unbalanced as Craig appeared to be. There were always patrols in the skies and on the ground. If you were caught, the best you could hope for is a quick and painless death.

With this in mind and the helicopters he could hear outside, Hamish began to wonder if Craig did actually get home again, like Julian said he would. Without further thought, he got up and dressed, struck with a sudden urge to go out and find him, just to make sure he was alright. He wasn't sure exactly why he was so worried about Craig, but he still didn't like the thought of him being hauled away by some cops and tortured. Adam remained asleep, unaware of Hamish creeping out silently into the night.

Hamish drove around the silent city, looking out for any sign of him, every now and then searching the dark sky. An hour later he found him, his wings giving him away. He was curled up in an alleyway, wings not looking their best, looking defeated and miserable. Hamish was surprised he hadn't been spotted and hauled away, but the spots of blood he could just make out in the dim light indicated Craig hadn't been alone here the whole time.

"Craig? Are you ok mate?" Hamish said, cautiously walking up to him. He was still afraid of those wings.

Craig didn't respond apart from his wings curling around him like a protective shield. Hamish approached him until he was right next to him. Craig's lack of response worried him. Hamish knelt beside him, trying to pry him out from under his wings.

"Craig, you need to get home. It's 3:30am. Aren't they going to be worried about you?" Hamish said.

"No. What home have I got to go back to? Those bastards can live without me," Craig said quietly.

"Go home, Craig. You don't belong out here. Do you want to be arrested and killed? It's freezing out. And look at your wings. They're all dirty and torn. What the hell happened to them? I thought you loved your wings?" Hamish said.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Leave me alone," Craig said. Gods, those wings are really making you moody, Craig. _Oh, shut up. It's not the wings' fault and you know it._ If you say so. _You really have a thing for that phrase, don't you?_ Is that really a problem? _Not really. But I might annoy you every time you use it though, just for kicks._ Bitch. Why did I let you edit with me? _Because you love me?_ Just don't try my patience. _Haha, you nearly wrote UST._ Fuck off, Craig.

"No way. I'm not leaving you out here. Come on. Get up. I'm taking you home," Hamish said, getting to his feet, attempting to pull Craig up with him.

"No. Leave me," Craig said, trying to pull away.

"Get up. We can go back to Adam's if you don't want to go home, but I want you somewhere warm and safe. Come on. Get up. I can hear a patrol getting closer," Hamish said, grabbing Craig's arm with both hands, forcing him to his feet.

"No," Craig said weakly, unable to stop Hamish pulling him into the car.

"We'll go back to Adam's, ok?" Hamish said, before starting the car and driving back home again.

* * *

Much as they tried to be quiet, Adam was woken by Craig and Hamish arriving back at the flat. Craig was not in the mood to be cooperative and didn't care that Adam was asleep and probably didn't want to be woken up.

"What are you doing this early in the fucking morning, Hamish?" Adam called sleepily, unwilling to get out of bed just yet as he heard them crashing around.

Hamish pulled Craig into the bedroom, still leading him along by the arm. "Hey there, love. Sorry about the noise. We tried not to wake you," he said, peering through the door.

"An elephant would make less noise. Who's there with you? Where'd you go anyway?" Adam said.

"I couldn't sleep. I was worried about Craig. I went out to find him. I didn't think he'd gone home like Julian said he would. I brought him back here. He's in a right state," Hamish said.

"Well, you deal with it then. I'm going back to bed. Try not to wake me again, hmm?" Adam said, rolling over and going back to sleep.

Hamish backed out, closing the door behind him. Before he could turn around to face Craig, there was a sharp pain in the back of his head, sending Hamish crashing to the floor out cold. Dropping whatever it was that he'd used to knock him out, Craig backed off, running for the balcony. Happily finding the door unlocked, Craig took little time to spread his wings and fly off into the night.

Hamish falling to the ground woke Adam again. This time he got up, hoping nothing was wrong. But he paled as he saw his Hamish lying on the ground not moving. Looking towards the balcony, he saw the tiny figure of someone flying off, but was too concerned with Hamish to bother with him. No, Adam you're not having wings. No, not even wings no one can see. What happened to our plan? We spent a month planning this and now you want to turn it into something else entirely? Bastards. No, you can't have—why won't you listen to me? Stop running towards the balcony to fly after Craig. Stop it. Get back here. The narrator sighed, watching Hamish being laid gently on the bed before Adam took wing and flew after Craig. Why must my characters be so uncooperative? _Because we just are? Come on, it turned out better this way, I promise._

Alright, fine. You've made up your mind. Fine, you have wings too. But no one else can have wings, alright? The narrator glares at everyone sternly, making sure they understand. You'd all better behave or I'll make life miserable for you. You did that whether we behaved or not.

So, Adam flew after Craig, flying high around the city, searching for him. Once Craig realised he was being followed, he turned tail and dove downward, heading for the inner city. Adam soon caught him again, following him through the streets, determined to catch up with him. Craig's first mistake was to land. No, actually, his first mistake was knocking Hamish out when Adam was still nearby. Craig's second mistake was to land in a tiny alleyway, hoping to hide from Adam. Unfortunately, Craig found himself cornered, and Adam soon landed to join him. Adam took little time to attack, punching Craig's jaw hard. Craig fell back against the wall, torn between anger and fear.

"Lying cheating little shit. How dare you hurt Hamish like that! What a bloody coward, attacking from behind! You hurt Hamish again, I'll tear you to pieces!" Adam said, semi-strangling him. Violence wasn't usually a character trait of his in spite of his genetics, but he'd do anything to protect – or defend – Hamish.

"Adam, please-"

"Shut up! You come near him again, you're dead," Adam said, letting him go.

Craig slumped to the ground, hands gently rubbing his neck, trying to get his breath back. Adam stared down at him, calming himself down.

"I hate you! I fucking hate you!" Craig said, looking up at Adam.

Adam gave him an angry glare before taking flight again, leaving Craig there all alone.

"I hate everyone," Craig said, sounding utterly defeated.

* * *

Craig took flight again, but he didn't go home. He was far too angry to go home now. Craig needed to release his anger, and the only way he could think of to do that was to enter one of the fights tonight. He flew to the top of one of the skyscrapers, one he'd visited many times before. What was waiting for him was a large building made of glass sitting on top of a rather innocuous sky scraper. It was known as The Glass House because of this. It was a place where all the winged humans in the city came to fight, drink, and generally have good times, free to be themselves and not hide their 'strangeness' from the world.

That winged humans existed wasn't a secret, but being the product of a secret Government experiment some seventy years earlier, they were reviled and hated, especially those capable of flight. The jealousy of the wingless humans seemed unstoppable, leading to the winged humans being persecuted, rejected by the population as outcasts and non-citizens. It didn't help that a lot of the winged humans weren't afraid to speak out against the Government, despite the current rulers not being the same ones who created them all those years ago. It didn't matter. The Government created them, and now they were turning their back on them. Thus, any winged human was likely to be wanted by the police or the Army, though they were as good as one and the same now, and if they were caught, they invariably disappeared. No one really knew what happened to them, but those with wings (and their supporters) were deeply suspicious about the Government's claims that they were simply being held in a Government institution and were not being harmed at all. The totalitarian nature of the Government had shown no inclination to be kind to enemies of the state, or even to their own citizens if pushed enough.

Walking towards The Glass House now, Craig knew that the other winged humans had been here for hours already. Craig knew he'd come at the right time. Everyone was fuelled on aggression and alcohol; the fights were always more satisfying then. The heat, the noise, the sweat, the smell, it all hit him hard as he entered the arena, filled with mostly winged humans watching a fight in the ring below. Craig thought about waiting to see the end of the fight, but he was too fired up to wait tonight. He decided to challenge the winner of the current fight, and flew down towards the ring, landing outside it. The fight stopped as they noticed Craig's presence.

"I'll take whoever wins!" Craig yelled.

"Oh, eager, aren't we?" one of the fighters taunted. He was a large well muscled guy, with special barbs and armour plates on his wings.

"I'll crush you into the ground," Craig said, not phased at the insults being yelled at him by the crowd.

"Bring it on, bitch," the second fighter said. He wasn't as large as the guy he was fighting, but looked like he could hit hard. The armour on his wings wasn't plate armour, but it looked solid enough. He also had a large spear with him as well, while the other had a lance.

Craig winged into the ring, and as he landed, realised just how big the two guys actually were. Craig had never bothered with wing armour. It always weighed him down, and as he was usually one of the smallest fighters, he needed all the speed he could get. There were no rules against flying during matches, but what would the point be in simply flying out of harm's way? No, what Craig had was a pair of butterfly swords. Oh, he did enjoy bringing them out. He was surprisingly quick on his feet, using his wings to give him some added lift as he fought. He was more dangerous than he looked.

"I'll be waiting. I could take both of you and still be home before dawn," Craig said confidently.

The two fighters glanced at each other briefly. "Us versus you. Winner takes all. You in?" the first fighter said.

Craig half-smiled, relishing the chance to beat both of them. "As you said, bring it on, bitches."

The crowd exploded with cheering at the prospect of a three-way fight. After a few minutes, Craig had his swords drawn, facing the two huge guys before him, ever so eager to begin fighting.

"It's a thousand to get in, fifteen hundred to fight, you sure you can afford that?" the first guy taunted.

"That and more, baby," Craig said.

It was a good thing the bell was rung to begin the round just then or Craig would've found himself flattened by two large angry guys. But, Craig had the instinct to shoot into the air just as they charged him, narrowly avoiding being crushed into oblivion. Craig landed again, this time meeting the guys charge head on, surprising them both at how quickly he could move and how hard he could attack. He looked like a tiny runt compared to most of the other fighters, but he could match them for speed, aggression and strength. No one outside the arena knew Craig could fight, and that was the way Craig wanted it to stay. Being a tiny runt had its advantages.

Half an hour into the fight, and Craig was winning, tiring the larger guys out by constantly dodging their attacks and at one stage, goading them into fighting each other again. Craig managed to knock out lance guy, but spear guy had his mark and tired Craig out by making him continually dodge his spear thrusts. Eventually, Craig lost out, and managed to avoid being knocked out himself.

Battered and bruised but feeling infinitely better, Craig left the arena poorer than he'd entered it, and leant against the railing on the edge of the building to watch the sun rise. It was time to go home at last after being out all night. He was in need of a good wash, a decent meal and some rest.

"Hey, good fight, mate," said a voice behind him.

Craig turned to see lance guy approaching him. "Yeah, you too," he said back.

"You were fighting pretty aggressive out there. Can't remember you fighting that hard before," lance guy said.

"Yeah, it's been… one of those nights. Needed a way to get rid of the anger," Craig said.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. You coming next week? I hear there are a couple of guys coming in from interstate looking to fight. We'll show 'em a party, hey?" lance guy said.

"Sounds like fun. I'll be there," Craig said.

"Catch you then," lance guy said.

"Later," Craig said as lance guy left.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Craig gets grumpy and things take a turn for the worst.

Taking a final glance over the city, Craig sheathed his swords and took flight, heading for home. He didn't bother trying to get in his secret entrance this time. Everyone was already awake, and probably knew he hadn't been home. Front door it was then. He had no idea what he looked like, but he was sure it wasn't pretty. He always looked like shit after a hard fight like that, and his aching body probably had a few stories to tell as well. He didn't try to hide anything as he entered the warehouse, watching Julian's concerned expression as he passed.

"I see you decided to grace us with your presence. Everything alright?" Julian said, looking up from the newspaper he was reading as he sat in one of the armchairs nearby.

"It's nothing. I'll be fine," Craig said, heading straight for the kitchen area to eat.

Julian didn't press him for further information. If Craig wanted to remain silent, that was his decision. Julian continued reading the paper, taking in the State-sanctioned news and scanning it for information.

Craig rummaged around the kitchen, looking for something decent to eat. He was unsatisfied with what the pantry offered and took to the fridge instead. Staring in at it, he decided on eggs and bacon. He knew he needed the protein to make up for all the energy he'd used up before. He always healed faster after a fight if he ate a lot of protein, though no one was really sure why that was.

After cooking what some might call a large amount of food, Craig sat down at the kitchen table. He ate fast, finally realising just how hungry he was.

"Hey Jules, whatever it is you're planning, I want in," Craig said once he'd eaten. He wandered over to Julian and perched on an arm of one of the other chairs.

Julian turned to look at him. "Go get yourself cleaned up and have a good sleep. Then we'll talk," he said.

"Fine," Craig said.

"You think I don't know about the fighting?" Julian said.

"That's my business. You stay out of it," Craig said.

"You know I worry about you," Julian said.

"Not half as much as you worry about Chas," Craig countered.

"Let's not fight over this again," Julian said.

"No, let's not. I'm gonna go shower," Craig said, getting up.

Julian sighed and watched him go. Just as Craig disappeared, Chas turned up, wandering out to meet him after waking up. Julian smiled as he approached, happy to see him.

"Chas, darling, there you are," Julian said, opening his arms to him.

Chas climbed into Julian's embrace, cuddling up next to him. "Here I am."

"How's my Chassy this morning?" Julian said.

"Doing alright. What are we doing today? Anything interesting?"

"Couple of things to follow up. Couple of reports I need to go over. You coming with me?"

"Why wouldn't I come with you? You got work for me too?"

"Maybe. I might need your advice on a few things. You eaten yet?"

"Just got up. You're not angry are you?"

"Why would I be angry at you? Go eat. Don't take too long though."

"Thanks, Jules," Chas said, giving him a quick kiss before heading over to eat, reluctantly leaving Julian's arms.

* * *

In the bathroom, Craig peeled his clothes off before getting in the shower, turning the radio on to drown out any outside noise. News report, how interesting. Oh, shush, it's needed for the plot. Hey, that was in-story comments, so there. Well, that does make for a nice change, doesn't it? He began cleaning his wings, knowing he let them get rather dirty last night. A mixture of water, a mild soap and patience soon had them gleaming white again. Wings were to be proud of, the one thing that made the winged humans different from other humans. They had to look their best. He was only half paying attention to the radio when something caught his attention.

"…And in a late-night raid, military police took into custody notorious winged human rogue, Sepulchre, after a tip-off from the public as to his whereabouts. The Prime Minister has hailed the arrest as a decisive strike against these rogue mutants and has ordered police step up their assault on their kind in a bid to eradicate them from the country. He announced extra powers of arrest would be given to police and warned anyone harbouring known rogues or mutants would be arrested as traitors and tried accordingly. He said anyone found to be helping the cause of rogue mutants will be put to death. The Prime Minister has urged people to be alert to underground terrorist groups who may be supporting the mutants, adding they could strike at any time. He has ruled out imposing a curfew or a State of Emergency, saying there was no cause for alarm at this stage, but there may be a time when it could be warranted if violence against the State escalates-"

"No! Bastards! Who the fuck gave him away? I'll hunt them down and kill them, I swear!" Craig said, interrupting his shower to throw the radio angrily against a wall. "This is war. This time he's gone too far," he said.

"Something the matter?" Julian called, hearing the smashing radio and Craig's anger.

Craig walked out to the living room, towel wrapped around his waist. "They got Sepulchre. Last night. Some bastard tipped off the cops. Our illustrious leader has declared war on us 'rogue mutants'. He wants to eradicate us from the country. This is nothing short of a declaration of war. I need to see the others. I'll be back. Be careful. Anyone caught harbouring mutants are apparently liable to be arrested as traitors. If I'm not back before dusk, I won't be back til the morning. Sometimes, it's safer to hide at night," he said.

"Shit. I'll get the news around. You be careful as well. Their fliers are getting better at hunting you guys out, apparently," Julian said.

"It's not safe anywhere in this country. Only here would they keep the same Government in power for twenty years and not complain about how corrupt they are," Craig said.

"True. Having you guys as the common enemy has fuelled Government support. It's not fair at all, but that's how it is now," Julian said.

"They created us, now they want to wipe us out. How bloody predictable," Craig said. "Anyway, I'd better get going. No one's going to be pleased about this at all."

"Okay then. Just stay out of trouble. I don't want you getting caught," Julian said.

"I know how to take care of myself, Julian," Craig said.

Julian gave him a concerned look before Craig went to get dressed. Craig didn't waste time worrying about what he was wearing, he needed to get going. Sky patrols were more numerous at night for some reason, so getting caught flying during the day was less likely but still possible. But there were plenty of places to hide on top of buildings should you need to dive out of a patrol's way. The less time he spent in the air the better, though, so a quick flight was best.

* * *

Even after the announcement of more patrols and such that morning, Craig only happened to see two patrols as he made his way to The Glass House, noticing all the other winged humans arriving as well. The fliers must be getting lax in their daytime patrols if they haven't stepped up their numbers already. _You're going to bring Adam back into this, aren't you?_ Well, he has wings too, you know. I can't not have him here. _Fine. Just don't have him get violent on me again._ We'll see.

Craig landed and headed towards the arena, sensing the panic in the air. Things were not going to get better now. It was time to take action if they weren't going to get wiped out. But what could 5000 winged humans do against an entire country? Sure, there were smaller populations in other cities, but still, at best, estimates had the number of winged humans at no more than 10,000. Even if they all got together in the one city, that'd still make difficult odds in them being able to fight. The military police had superior numbers and firepower, and they were getting smarter. Rumours had it those winged humans that were caught and subsequently vanished were taken and brainwashed into helping the military police hunt the rest of the winged humans down. No one liked that at all, the thought that their own kind was being used against them. It only served to fuel hatred towards the Government and the wingless humans. Something had to be done, and fast, before they lost their chance to strike.

"Craig!" Adam called from behind as Craig walked towards the arena.

Craig turned to see Adam behind him, jogging to catch him up. "Adam. Hi," he said, not terribly pleased to see him.

"Hey there. Look, sorry about last night, I just-"

"It's ok. It was my fault. I was just messed up. Living like this will mess you up, what with all the fear and the hatred. It fucks with your head," Craig said, interrupting him. Stop making me nice! I won't have you two fighting. Get over it.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. God, this place is crazy. How on earth did the humans down there let this happen?" Adam said.

"By being stupid, ignorant arseholes, that's how. People like that don't listen to reason; just blindly follow what they're told because they're too scared to think for themselves. We're the only humans left willing to speak up against the Government, and that, my friend, is a very sad fact indeed," Craig said. _Oh, I give up. Fine, don't listen to me at all._ It's about time you came to that conclusion. Good boy. _Oh, stop it._

"Yeah, you got that right, but what can we do? They vastly outnumber us. I think they'd all be happier if we moved to another country. Then at least we'd be someone else's problem, as I heard someone say," Adam said.

"Bastards. If we leave, they win. I won't let them do that. We stay and fight, because what else can we do? We might as well just walk up to the police and let them shoot us otherwise. We haven't been fighting every week in here for nothing. We can take them. We just need to hit them at their weakest point. No point attacking the military. They're far too strong. A decisive attack is what we need, something that will cripple them. We need to strike from the top and behead this monster before it grows too big for even us to control. Attack their power and the underlings will crumble. That's how we have to fight back. Otherwise, we'll be slaughtered," Craig said.

"We can't do this alone. I know there are some humans down there that support us. We need to get everyone who's willing to fight together to work out how we can attack," Adam said.

"Julian's onto it. He's getting the word around his contacts. Hopefully, we'll have enough to make this work," Craig said. "Anyway, we'd better get in there. I can hear another patrol coming by."

"Yeah, good idea," Adam said, heading into the arena behind Craig.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb accepts his fate, and the world seemingly crumbles into dust.

Hamish was walking towards the city, hoping to get in contact with some of his friends who could get them weapons after discussions at the arena had agreed that it was time to prepare for one final assault, one last ditch attempt at fighting back at the State before they were all wiped out for good. Hamish hadn't been there, but Adam had sent him out once he'd arrived back home. The streets were surprisingly empty, and as he approached the main street, the noise told him what was going on. It was another one of the Government's prisoner parades, where rebels, traitors and anyone the Government wanted to shun were made to crawl on their hands and knees, leashed and naked, along the street for the people, to hammer home obedience and loyalty.

Hamish pushed his way through the crowds to see who was being paraded in case it was someone they knew. Just as he got to the front of the crowd, a hand grabbed his arm hard, pulling him back out of the crowd. Hamish found himself standing opposite a couple of the military police officers. A chill of fear ran down his spine.

"You, you got ID, sir?" one of them said to him.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Hamish said, scrambling to find his ID card. They must be checking to make sure there's no one here who'll disrupt things. He pulled the card out of his wallet and handed it over to the cops. He waited nervously as they fed the card into a reader. Who knew what was on there? Did they know about Adam? And Tim? Two winged humans he would die to protect who had been living with him at his home for a while now? Things were getting scary and Hamish didn't like it at all, and he didn't even have wings.

"Press your palm against the pad, please sir," the cop said.

Hamish obliged, pressing his right hand against the reader. It would take accurate finger prints and match them against the data on his card. If they matched, he was safe. For the moment. Not that he had any reason to fear they wouldn't match, but the level of corruption in authority was impossible to detect. The people could do nothing to fight back if they were falsely accused or mistaken for someone else.

Hamish breathed a sigh of relief as the reader indeed matched his prints with those on the card. "Is that all, officers?" Hamish said, wanting to see what was going on with the parade.

"Prick your finger against the reader here. Just checking your DNA matches, sir," the cop said.

Hamish wanted to curse at the continued tests, but knew that arguing against it would only invite trouble. He pricked his finger as ordered, letting a few drops of blood fall onto the testing area. In a few moments, the reader gave a positive test, matching the DNA in his blood and the DNA on his card.

"There you go. Your card back, sir. Keep out of trouble," the cop said, handing his card back.

Hamish took his card and shoved it back into his wallet, watching the cops wander off again, looking for anyone else who might look suspicious. With the cops out of the way, Hamish again pushed through the crowd to see what was going on. He hated watching these, but this one really hit a nerve. Just as he got to the barricade, one of the prisoners looked familiar. He recognised that body, his wings brutally torn from him. Sepulchre, broken and bleeding, one of the bravest warriors the winged humans had ever known, being made to crawl down the road as if he was a pet. The soldier holding his leash had a stick in one hand that he used to hit him with if he fell, or even if he just felt like it.

In all the noise of the crowd, all Hamish heard was silence. It took a few seconds for the initial shock to settle before he had enough sense to message Adam on his phone. 'Adam. TV. Now. It's Seb.' Seb was a nickname for Sepulchre; Adam's pet name for Sepulchre. Hamish didn't trust himself to say anything more. Adam needed to know about this. Hamish knew how close they were and how upset Adam had been when he heard about his arrest.

Hamish remained pressed against the barrier, staring at Seb being marched down the road in shock. He tried to catch Seb's eye, but to no avail. Seb knew his fate, which made it all the more painful to watch.

* * *

The parade was long gone from the street before Hamish even attempted walking home again, his mind filled with all sorts of horror, thoughts about watching, not Seb, but Adam being paraded down the road, his wings ripped from him, beaten, kicked, abused, being led down the road to die.

For most humans, parades like that were a spectacle, strange creatures they've never met being paraded and abused for their own enjoyment, fostering hatred and loyalty to the State. It was a bizarre and terrible repeat of the Roman colosseums, without the amphitheatre to contain the horror. But for Hamish, human as he was, these parades left him with nightmares, filled him with anger and horror that his fellow countrymen could allow this sort of thing to happen. Knowing some of the winged humans, being in love with a winged human, changed things so dramatically Hamish couldn't bear to watch these disgusting spectacles without a deep sense of hatred, dread and fear.

"Ham? Hamish, you alright?"

Hamish only half-heard Andy's voice as his best friend ran towards him, having spotted him as he was leaving the parade. Andy, one of the military cops on duty keeping those at the parade in order, had no time to warn him of what was to come, not with his superiors standing around him.

"Hamish, stop for a moment, will you?"

Andy grabbed Hamish's shoulder and forced Hamish to stop. Hamish looked at him, unable to speak.

"Mate, are you alright?" Andy asked again.

"They… Seb…" was as much as Hamish could say. He was still in shock from the parade.

Andy understood. He brought him into his arms and held him tightly, trying to calm him. "Come on, mate, let's get you home," he said.

Hamish nodded glumly, letting Andy wrap an arm around his shoulder and lead him home.

* * *

Adam had to read Hamish's message several times before he turned the TV on. There, before him, their beloved leader, one of the few people Adam kept close to his heart, being paraded around like a dog. The shock was too much. Adam found himself frozen. The horror, the senseless humiliation, the anger, it was the final straw. Arresting Seb was one thing, parading him like that was quite another.

Adam and Seb had known each other for years. Adam was one of the privileged few to know Seb as a person, winged as he was, away from the rebellion, back when it was still safe to be out on the streets, back when you could be yourself and not worry about vanishing during the night. Long before Hamish was around, long before the winged humans were hunted down like dogs, Adam and Seb had been lovers, and those ties were as strong as they ever were. Having to watch him crawling on the road, being kicked until he started crawling again whenever he fell down, looking so utterly broken and abused, it was the worst torture imaginable.

Hamish didn't know about Adam and Seb, Adam felt it was better that way. Adam was content to have Hamish believe they were just old friends, but he'd have to tell him now. There was no way of explaining how much it hurt watching him suffer like that without mentioning how close they had been. What was worse was knowing exactly how it would end. He knew Seb's fate. Adam knew he'd be the one to engrave his name on the wall, with the names of all the others who had died fighting for their freedom.

Adam watched, unable to look away, hearing Seb's voice so soft and delicate, whispering to him all those years ago, a voice that was now tinged with pain, with anger, still defiant to his last breath. His memories were so at odds with what he was seeing now. The cameras delighted in zooming in on his injuries, showing the people watching at home all the cuts and bruises covering his skin.

Adam had to look away when they showed close-ups of Seb's wing stubs. His knees collapsed under him, sending him to the floor. He cried into his hands, feeling utterly helpless. The sight was too much. They were still bleeding, too, broken bone protruding from the remaining feathers. The jeers from the crowd stabbed at him. He hated this Government so much. To treat a human being like that… it was monstrous. And he thought some of the stories he'd heard from China were bad. Australia had once again demonstrated it wanted to win at everything, even in tyrannical dictatorships. He was about to turn it off when Tim emerged from the bathroom, wings gleaming in the light.

"What's all that noise? Another one of those parades?" Tim said, walking up to Adam. He glanced down at him, seeing how upset he was. "You alright, mate?"

"It's Seb," Adam whispered, peering through his fingers at the horror on the TV.

"No fucking way. What have they done to him? How can they do this? How can the world not know about this?" Tim said, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I can't bear to watch our kind suffering any longer. This has to stop. We have to do something before they wipe us all out," Adam said.

Tim knelt behind him, bringing him into a tight hug. No words could help ease Adam's pain. It was times like these that felt the most depressing, when the world attacked and wounded you enough to break you but not kill you. Adam's wings curled around him, offering some semblance of comfort. He wasn't just watching his leader die; that was one of his oldest and best friends, and one of his lovers. The pain was inexplicable. Adam felt as if he was feeling every wound Seb had. Even his wings ached. No one would blame him for crying.

* * *

Hamish stopped outside the gate to his apartment block, reluctant to go any further. Andy held his hand loosely, not wanting to leave him, especially when he was clearly distressed and shocked. Andy pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly one last time.

"This is as far as I can go, mate. I'm still on duty, you know. I'll be round after work, alright?" Andy said.

Hamish sighed. "Yeah, alright. I'll catch you later," he said.

"Go take care of Adam. I'm sure he needs you the most right now," Andy said.

"Yeah, yeah, most probably. Thanks," Hamish said. The thought of Adam in pain wasn't one he liked having, and he would probably be distraught if he'd seen the parade.

He gave Andy a weak smile and ran off towards his flat, not wanting to leave Adam alone too long.

* * *

Hamish arrived home and went straight to Adam still curled into Tim's arms. Tim pulled back, letting Hamish take over. Hamish turned the TV off and sat in front of Adam, grabbing his arms firmly. He knew he could never fully comprehend what Adam was going through, but he'd do his best. Hamish searched his eyes, desperate to see some sign of life in there.

"Hamish. Hamish it was-" Adam whispered, unable to finish the sentence.

"I know, I know, I saw it," Hamish said softly, bringing Adam into his arms.

Adam held him tightly, wishing today had never happened. His wings curled around them both, Hamish shivering at the soft feathers brushing his face. Adam couldn't bring himself to speak anymore. It was all too hard to speak. Hamish ran his fingers through his hair, trying to bring him some peace.

Just as Adam was beginning to calm down, there was a loud thumping on the door, which Hamish knew all too well was the police doing random raids of houses checking for anyone harbouring winged humans or other people wanted by the State. It happened all the time in their apartment block. Hamish had thought it was about time they called by again. Hamish had been raided a few times, but Tim and Adam had been lucky enough to not be around when it happened. This time was different. This time, Adam and Tim were with him. Hamish got up, scared as hell, looking back at Tim and Adam.

"Quick, hide if you don't want to go through what Seb did!" Hamish hissed at them.

"We fight. It's what we do. I'm not going anywhere," Tim said. Hamish noticed he'd already drawn his sword.

"Then get Adam out of-"

"I'm staying. I'll kill anyone who lays a hand on you," Adam said, anger rising in him as he got to his feel, grabbing a couple of handguns as he threw some light armour over his wings. Tim always wore his armour, but Adam preferred not to. He kept his always ready to throw on at a moment's notice, just in case he needed it.

"Hey! You in there! Open up already or I'll force this fucking door down!" one of the cops yelled from the other side of the door.

With a gulp, Hamish grabbed the door handle, giving a final glance at Tim and Adam, waiting to fight. Hamish had barely opened the door when the cops burst in, pushing Hamish aside, their sights set on the two winged humans standing there armed, looking ready for a fight.

Hamish ran and hid behind the kitchen counter as the cops tried to arrest Adam and Tim. The noise was deafening, with the shouting and the gun shots. It was chaos. Adam was fighting not just for their freedom, but for Seb, and while Tim had at least tried to kill mercifully, Adam lost control.

* * *

Hamish wasn't sure when it was all over, but he felt someone grab his arm and pull him out of his hiding spot. Hamish was terrified it was one of the cops arresting him for harbouring winged humans, but when he looked up at who had grabbed him, it was Adam.

"Grab everything important. We're getting out of here. We killed them, but when they find out, there'll be cops swarming all over the place. We need to get out of here now," Adam said.

"You killed them? Fucking hell. You've turned me into a fucking fugitive! A criminal! Where the hell can we go? They'll be able to find me anywhere. There have been unofficial rumours for years about the ID cards having tracking devices embedded in them," Hamish said, suddenly panicking as he saw the bloodied mutilated bodies of the cops lying on the carpet.

"Calm down. Destroy the card. We'll get you a new one. But hurry, I can hear sirens already," Adam said.

Hamish didn't question Adam's judgement. He grabbed his coat and the few papers he needed and the small wad of cash he kept for such an occasion as this and went to the balcony where Adam and Tim were waiting. Adam grabbed his card from him and snapped it in two. Hamish didn't realise quite how delicate they were until he saw Adam crush the two halves under his foot.

"You can fly. How am I getting out of here?" Hamish said, nervous at leaving his flat with two dead cops in it.

"We'll carry you. Come on. There's a safe haven across town we can get to," Adam said.

And with that, Hamish found himself picked up by Tim and Adam as they took off from his balcony, flying through the air. Hamish had never flown before, not like this. Their arms and legs linked together, Hamish was carried quite easily between them. Still, Hamish spent the whole flight convinced he was going to fall, that he'd slip out of their grip and plummet to his death.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escapes are made, safety is reached, but at what cost to Hamish? Adam reflects on the past while Wil offers the only comfort he can.

Only when Hamish's feet touched solid ground again did he finally relax, but he had no time to comprehend his surroundings before he was pulled inside a dark warehouse and through some long corridor before finally coming to a stop in a large spacious room, still darkened like the rest of the building. It took a few seconds to recognise the man standing before them.

"Adam. Tim. This is a surprise," Wil said.

"Fucking cops raided Hamish's place. Luckily there were only two, and we managed to kill them, but they'll be swarming all over the place now. Did you see what they did to Seb this morning?" Adam said bitterly.

"Yeah. I did. In all it's horrifying detail. I was with him before he was taken. We were at the cave. I swear I'd only just left when they swarmed in. How they found us, we'll never know, but we can't go back there again. They've probably bugged the place. Fucking watching the place for signs of anyone returning so they can arrest them. Bastards. I got things to tell you, but not here. Get settled and then we'll talk. You know where to go, yeah? We have plans for something big," Wil said.

"I know. We got the usual room?" Adam said.

"Yeah. I never let anyone else stay there. It's all yours," Wil said, handing over a set of keys.

"Thanks. I'll come see you later, ok?" Adam said.

"Sure. Let me know if you need anything," Wil said.

And with that, Hamish found himself led back out of the room and into another corridor – or was it the same corridor? Hamish couldn't tell. They walked for a while before they came to a room at the end of the corridor. There was an eagle painted on the door. Adam stopped and unlocked the door, revealing a small one bedroom flat. Well, it was really only a bedroom and a small living room, but it'd do.

"Where are we, Adam?" Hamish said, still not sure where he was. Adam kept a lot of stuff like this from him to keep him safe. Hamish understood why Adam did this, but it still made him feel left out, just a little bit, especially when he got dragged out to havens and the like at a moment's notice.

"Doesn't matter. This is our room. Tim, you want the sofa? I'll go talk to Wil while you guys settle in," Adam said.

"Oh, yeah, sure. You go. We'll be fine here," Tim said, bringing Hamish into the room.

"Won't be long," Adam said, giving Hamish a quick kiss before closing the door behind him.

"You and Adam have been here before?" Hamish said, walking into the room, looking at the basic nature of the room. Sure, it wasn't luxurious, but a safe haven didn't need to be. The carpet was old, the wallpaper peeling, the furniture about to break, but it was comfortable.

"Yeah, a few times. Meetings and whatnot. We do a lot of planning here. The cops think this place doesn't exist. Actually, they're convinced no one lives in this part of town at all so they don't patrol here. Stupid bastards. If they actually bothered to look we'd be in trouble. We're not the only ones living off the land here," Tim said, taking a seat on the sofa.

"There's other groups here? Who else is out here?" Hamish said, sitting down next to Tim.

"Rebels, free thinkers, musicians, the homeless, squatters, those on the margins of society driven from the cities, everyone the State would very much prefer to be dead," Tim said.

"You'd never know it to look out there, would you?" Hamish said.

"All part of the guise. We can't have any signs of life at all. No fires, no visible trucks, nothing. It's vital to our survival," Tim said.

"Must be hard having to live like that," Hamish said.

"You have no idea. But now it's your life too," Tim said.

* * *

Andy found himself back outside Hamish's flat, shocked by what was going on there. He'd heard the report over the police radio and had recognised the address. He'd gone straight there. The flat was crawling with cops who were busy cleaning up the mess Adam and Tim had left behind.

"What the hell happened here?" Andy said to the first cop he came across.

"Two of our boys got slaughtered in there. It ain't pretty. What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be on patrol?" the officer asked him.

"I – the guy who lived here, he was a mate of mine. I can't believe he'd kill. It wasn't in his nature. I've known the guy since childhood. He's not a killer," Andy insisted.

"Well, got any other ideas then? He didn't have anyone living with him that could've done this?" the officer said.

"No, no, he lived alone as far as I knew," Andy said, not liking where this might be going.

"Well, he was seen arriving here, but he's nowhere to be found now. It's as if he's disappeared completely. No one saw anything, as usual. We've got a warrant out for his arrest, but you know how these things are. If he's gone, he's gone. Nothing more we can do. If we find him, he'll be charged, tried and executed, unless you can convince me he didn't kill them," the officer said.

"I dropped him off here, yes. He was shocked from the parade earlier. He was always weaker than me, much as I hate to say it. He had no stomach for violence, none at all. That's why he never served his time. He was so worried about it, he was institutionalised and excused from service, though official records have him medically discharged. If you think he killed them, you're wrong. He's just not capable of it. Can I see the flat, please?" Andy said.

The officer looked at him wearily, as if sick of being asked that very question. He sighed. "Very well, since you knew him," he said at last.

"Thanks, mate. I'll buy you a round later on," Andy said with a grateful smile.

"Make it two," the officer said.

"Deal," Andy said.

The officer led Andy through the maze of people to the flat, stopping him at the front door. "This is as far as you're going for the moment. They haven't finished collecting evidence yet."

"What do they think happened?' Andy said.

"As far as we know, they were doing patrols around the flats. The two officers in question came to this flat, and by some mystery, they both ended up dead, and your friend is now missing. It's not looking good for him," the officer said.

"Shit. What the hell has he been getting up to?" Andy swore, pretending he had no knowledge of what happened.

"You don't know much of his private life?" the officer said.

"Not really. I mean, he was alone as far as I knew. I'm at work a lot, you know how it is, so I don't get as much time for him as I used to," Andy said.

"No girlfriend then?"

"Not that I was aware of, no. He'd tried with a few girls recently, but they'd ended in nothing."

"The door's been bashed in. Surely, that meant they had reason to force their way into his flat. Why would they do that if he was alone?"

"I don't know. He lived alone as far as I knew. He was alright, you know? Gentle sort. Wouldn't hurt a fly."

"You mean he was gay?"

"No, I don't mean that at all. He's not gay. He just had a difficult childhood. His father died when he was very young, and his stepfather wasn't exactly loving to him either, in spite of his mother's protestations. He really was a wreck when he was taken into hospital," Andy said, exaggerating the truth to protect him.

"He was abused?" the officer said softly, giving away how much he understood of that sort of situation.

"No, no, nothing like that, but his stepfather's rejection and his half-brothers taunting didn't do him any good at all. He hated them. I think that's why he spent so much time at my place. He was getting away from them," Andy said.

"Hmm. It is curious though. One was very badly mutilated, both shot and cut up, whereas the other was very neatly executed with a single accurate slice across the throat. One suggests a hurried, unplanned killing, the other, cold, calculated murder. It's as if there's two different killers. We're testing the blood spatters now for any potential matches, should it lead to the identities of any other people in the room at the time. That's about all we know for the moment," the officer said.

"Right. I suppose I'll be questioned at some point," Andy said.

"Of course, but that can wait til later when we get all the evidence together. The only crimes that seem to be taken seriously anymore are ones where cops are killed. If your friend does contact you, be cautious, alright? That's all I'm saying," the officer said. He gestured for Andy to leave.

"I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, I should get home," Andy said, making to leave.

"You watch your back, alright? Your friendship with him does not sit well at all," the officer warned.

"Thanks for the warning. I'll try to keep out of this," Andy said as he was shooed away.

* * *

Shaken at what had just happened, Andy left in a hurry, unsure what to make of the situation. He made his way home, having been given leave for the afternoon because of what had happened at Hamish's place. He sunk into his couch after grabbing a beer from the fridge, wondering what had gone so wrong.

"Ham, I hope you haven't got in too deep. I'd hate for you to get yourself in trouble," Andy murmured. "I wish I knew where you were, mate. Then maybe I could rest easy, knowing you were alright."

He took a long drink of his beer, trying to drown out his worries. It was another seven before he was asleep on the floor, his body unused to such potent beer in such quick succession.

* * *

Adam made his way to Wil's room without having to remember how to get there. He'd been there hundreds of times before. Wil was leaning against the door frame when he arrived, evidently waiting for him.

"Come in," Wil said, beckoning him forward.

Adam obeyed, closing the door behind him.

"In here," Wil said from the bedroom.

Adam gave a half-smile. Of course. Nothing like a bit of sex to add to whatever it was he was going to tell him. Wil lay down on the bed on his back, smiling at Adam. Adam soon joined him, lying on top of him, staring into his eyes.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" Adam said.

"I missed you?" Wil said hopefully.

"Nice try."

"It's about Seb."

"Of course it is. Did he know it was coming? His arrest, I mean?"

"Yeah. Said he felt it. His time was up. But he wanted you to take over. He said he couldn't think of anyone better to lead us. You're the next Seb, Adam. He gave me his sword to give you. It was one of the few things I could save before I left. The cops took everything else."

"God I hated watching that today. That's no way for a warrior to die. I felt everything. I wanted to kill so much today. That cop I killed, I mutilated him. I wanted him to pay for what he did to Seb. Tim had to calm me down before I had sense enough to realise what I'd done. I've never been so angry before. Am I that evil a person, Wil?" Adam said, a finger gently stroking Wil's cheek.

"No, you're not evil, Adam. We've all had to kill in order to survive. It's a way of life for us now. Kill or be killed. Don't worry about it. Would you have rather been arrested and dragged down the street like Seb was?"

"No, I couldn't put Hamish through that. It'd tear him apart to see that happen to me. Is this what we've been reduced to? Don't you remember when we were free to walk the streets? When we were actually citizens of this country and not rogue mutants hunted down like wolves?"

"Yeah, I remember that. But that's dead now. Gone forever. You know how much Seb loved you, yeah?"

"Yeah. I do. Hamish doesn't know we were ever involved, but-" Adam inhaled, trying not to cry, "he does know how much he meant to me. I love you as much as I love Seb, you know."

"I know you do. You've proved that far too many times for me to doubt it now. Hamish doesn't-"

"No. He doesn't. I've done my best to keep him in the dark for his own safety. He doesn't fully understand why I do that though. He said he understands, but I know he doesn't like it."

"Might as well tell him. There's no way he'll be able to go back into the city now. He's a wanted man."

"I was planning on it. Should I mention you and I?"

"Why? It doesn't involve him."

"Wil, you know how paranoid he is about losing me."

"So don't tell him. You and Seb was over years ago-"

Adam looked away, as if knowing that wasn't strictly true. He got up off Wil and sat on the end of the bed, facing away from his friend.

"It was over years ago, right?"

"It was so hard to not be close to him. Hamish has every right to hate me."

"What did you do?"

"What we'd always done. Seb was the first guy I ever loved. It was so hard to forget him when we were always together. In a sense, we never really broke up, even when I met Hamish."

"How long has the guilt been eating you up?"

"Far too long," Adam whispered, hiding his face in his hands.

Wil crawled over to sit beside him, an arm around his shoulders. "Shit. Don't you think Hamish has a right to know?"

"Maybe. I don't know what to believe anymore."

Wil cupped Adam's face with a hand, bringing him round to meet his gaze.

"Don't Wil-"

"Shh. It'll be alright. I'll deal with it," Wil said, bringing their lips together in a gentle kiss.

As soon as they kissed, Adam felt all the stress melt away. Wil was good at that. Years of memories fed his actions, Hamish forgotten as he pulled Wil close to him. He wanted to cry, wanted Wil to make everything better. Wil obliged, gently lying him stomach-down on the bed again, knowing Adam wanted him to take charge. Wil was gentle with everything, doing his best to soothe Adam's shattered spirit.

But what really helped ease Adam's pain was Wil giving him Seb's sword. Adam had it made years ago as a gift, and to receive it back, knowing Seb wanted him to take his place, the joy and sorrow was overwhelming. Wil held him as he cried, wondering if Hamish would ever be able to understand what Seb meant to Adam.

* * *

_August 9th, 2006._

_Adam was walking home, his wings wrapped around him to keep out the cold. It was a strangely cold day, and he was impatient to get home. He'd had a bad day, and was in no mood to deal with anyone until he'd had a couple of drinks and a decent meal._

_As he was approaching his street, he noticed another winged human like himself running up the street, waving some sort of flag, Adam couldn't see it at first, shouting to everyone about how the Government was filled with corrupt men, and that the people needed to fight for their freedoms or they'd lose them._

_A couple of cops were chasing him, shouting at him to stop, but the man kept on running. Adam watched him running towards him._

_Then he took flight, hovering above the cops, teasing them, waving his flag still, defiant that he would not be caught._

_Something stirred in Adam as he watched the man. The cops were getting their guns out, shooting at him, but he had something on his wings, protecting him. Wing armour. Adam had heard of it before, but had never seen it. Something about the defiance this man showed towards the cops made Adam feel slightly better about his crappy day. Before his brain had time to realise what he was doing, he'd flown up beside the man, grabbing his hand in support._

_"What-" the man said, looking at him in shock._

_"We fight them together," Adam replied. "I'm Adam."_

_"Sepulchre. Stupid name, I know."_

_"I like it."_

_"Thanks. Want to burn the flag with me?" Sepulchre said, holding a lighter close to the flag he was holding._

_"Do it."_

_As soon the flag was in flames, it was dropped on top of the cops below. Neither were badly burnt, but it slowed them down enough for Sepulchre and Adam to escape._

_They flew off, landing back at Adam's place. They fell against a nearby wall, laughing at what they'd just done._

_"You're incredible," Adam said._

_"So were you. And you haven't got any wing armour. You were lucky not to get shot," Sepulchre said._

_"I know. But it was worth fighting for. It's rare to find someone who believes the same as you these days. Everyone else is happy to deal with the status quo. There are few who believe we need real change round here," Adam said._

_"A worthy cause. But I fear they won't listen until it's too late. You hungry at all?" Sepulchre said._

_"Yeah, I was just going to have one of those frozen dinner things. I can't cook for shit." Adam said._

_"I'll take you out to dinner. My treat. And don't say no, or I'll be terribly upset," Sepulchre said._

_"Then how can I refuse?" Adam said with a grin._

_Sepulchre smiled at him._

_They went to this restaurant on the outskirts of town. Good food, mostly populated by winged humans. Three hours and as many bottles of wine later, and both were a little too inebriated to fly straight. Somehow they ended up back at Adam's place – neither could ever remember quite how they'd gotten home, just that one minute, restaurant, next minute, Adam's. Giggling and laughing, they stayed up all night discussing politics and philosophy, before eventually ending up in bed together. Neither had admitted they were gay, but somehow they both knew. Waking up in Sep's arms – as Adam had shortened his name to – the next morning, Adam felt deeply connected to this stranger he'd only met the night before, a powerful symbol of rebellion, a lone voice shouting amongst the silent obedience, willing to think and fight and reason for himself. Sure, Sep was several years older than him, but it didn't matter._

_They spent every waking moment together. Sep taught him many wonderful things about politics, religion, philosophy, every topic under the sun and moon. Adam couldn't remember ever meeting anyone quite like Sep before._

_At some point, Sep became Seb, but it didn't matter. Seb was his mentor, lover, angel, and Seb called him his spirit. Seb called him Anael. He said it was the name of the angel of the star of love. Adam had always thought that was beautiful. No one else knew about the name. Adam liked keeping it to himself. But then, no one else knew Seb away from his public life, protesting, planning, trying his hardest to save the country from itself. Adam and Seb had their sanctuary, where they would spend hours together. It was their special place, and even now, Adam wasn't sure anyone else knew it even existed._

* * *

Thinking about their sanctuary again brought Adam out of his thoughts. Maybe it was still around. Maybe it hadn't been destroyed when the Government went around burning anything they felt was going to corrupt the people. Adam had to find it again. Maybe then he'd be able to find some peace.

"Adam? You alright?"

Wil's voice pierced his consciousness, breaking him out of his thoughts for good.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine. I have to go. There's something I have to find," Adam said.

"Alright then. Keep out of sight and stay safe. I'll finish catching you up with things later," Wil said.

* * *

Adam dressed, reverently took the sword in his hands and left, heading back to his room to tell Hamish and Tim where he was going. He found them talking quietly together on the sofa when he get back to their room. They turned to look at him as he entered.

"Hey there. Where'd you get the sword?" Hamish said.

"It's Seb's. Was Seb's. He wanted me to take his place. He wants me to lead the rebellion. But I have to go now. There's something I just have to do before I can begin planning our attack. I don't know how long I'll be, but I'll send word when I'm coming back so you don't worry about me. Stay here, and just… stay safe, ok?" Adam said, walking over to the sofa.

"You don't want me to come with you?" Hamish said, feeling a little hurt.

"No, you're safer here than with me. Sorry. I have to do this," Adam said. "I'll miss you." Adam hugged Hamish tight, not wanting to let him go.

"You look after yourself too. You come back to me in one piece, you hear?" Hamish said, breaking the hug.

"You know I will," Adam said.

And with one final goodbye kiss, Adam grabbed his wing armour and left, leaving Hamish and Tim alone.

"Is this about Seb?" Hamish said, turning to him.

"Most likely. I don't know where he's going though. But give him time. I think he needs time to say goodbye to Seb properly," Tim said.

"I barely knew him. Seb, I mean. I think I only met him twice. Adam really loved him. That much I know. If he needs time to get his head sorted out, so be it, but I'll still miss him every second he's not here," Hamish said.

"I know you will. So will I," Tim said, more worried than he appeared. Neither quite knew who they were referring to, but both agreed it made sense, whoever it was.

* * *

The phone ringing some time later dragged Andy out of his drunken sleep as he fumbled about his dark house, looking for the phone. He found it just as it clicked over to the answering machine. He cursed at his lack of speed. His head ached from the sudden movement, reminding him of what he'd done to himself. Then a voice from the machine grabbed his attention completely.

_"Hey, Andy, it's me. Hamish. Um, just wanted to say... I'm sorry. For everything. Don't try and find me. It's best for both of us if this is where we end it. I don't want you getting in trouble. Oh, shit, I gotta go now. Goodbye, love."_

The machine clicked off, signalling the end of the message as Hamish hung up.

"No, Ham, no. This isn't how it's supposed to be! Christ, what have you gotten yourself messed up in? Stupid shit. Who'd have thought you'd be the one in trouble, hey?" Andy cursed his bad timing again. He replayed the message again, trying not to cry at the loss of his best friend.

_"Hey, Andy, it's me. Hamish…"_

Andy collapsed into tears, thumping his fists on the bench in anger, as he listened to Hamish's voice echoing through the dark apartment.

* * *

Hamish set the phone back on its cradle and looked up at Tim. Tim squeezed his shoulder gently, giving him a sympathetic look. Seeing his flat flooded with cops on the news had triggered the sudden phone call. Even if he couldn't say much to him, Hamish wanted Andy to know he was alright. He'd never felt so alone before, especially without Andy there to protect him, like he promised he would.

"I'm never going to see him again, am I?" Hamish said.

"Probably not," Tim said.

"Probably… Probably for the best, hey?" Hamish said, brushing a tear away.

"Yeah. Come on, let's get out of here," Tim said, bringing an arm around Hamish's shoulder and leading him away. Hamish nodded and sniffled, not wanting to dwell on it any further.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam pays his last respects, Andy can't stay away from Hamish, and things begin to look up.

Adam drove. He thought about flying, but he was tired and needed to recharge before doing another long-haul flight again. He wasn't sure what he'd find when he arrived at his destination, but he had to find out if it was still there. He knew the route so well he drove without being conscious of where he was going.

By the time the car stopped, he'd arrived. He got out finding the house where Seb used to live. It was an old once-grand two-storey house, now seemingly abandoned. Adam grabbed the sword and looked around; making sure no one else was around. Thankfully, the other houses looked as run down as this house. Must be another abandoned part of the city. There were a lot of areas like this around the place, the people forced from their homes because the areas were 'unclean' – whatever that meant. Temples, shrines, and churches not of the officially sanctioned religion were torn down and burnt. Other offending buildings and organisations were shut down. The houses of convicted traitors were razed to the ground and destroyed.

Adam headed around the back of the house, pushing through the heavily overgrown garden to a small Japanese style building hidden by a couple of huge Japanese cherry trees. It was still there after all these years. Seb's family shrine to the local kami that was part of the land their house was built on. Seb had taught him a lot about Shinto, grooming him and teaching him how to keep the shrine going if he was ever killed. He could still faintly smell the incense in the air that they'd burnt here so long ago. Once the State enforced the one religion on the people, Seb had told Adam to stay away from the shrine, lest it be discovered. Adam hadn't gone to the shrine for years, and he was sure Seb hadn't visited it either, but neither had forgotten about it.

The red paint on the torii was cracked and peeling off, the stone lions guarding it covered in moss. Adam gazed up at the torii before bowing once to each pillar and walking through it towards the shrine. The font he and Seb used to use to purify themselves before they entered was depressingly empty and filled with leaves in spite of the small roof covering it.

Adam wanted to cry at the neglected shrine, but didn't. He had feared that there wouldn't be any water to purify himself with before he entered. Then he noticed a small bucket on the porch. He found it was filled with water that looked relatively clean. It seemed like the shrine had been expecting him. He grabbed the small bucket and rinsed his mouth and hands, actions he'd done many times before.

Taking the sword in hand again, he climbed the few stairs to the shrine, trying not to be overcome with emotion. Leaving his shoes outside, he pushed the shrine doors open reverently, the air still smelling like incense. He stepped forward, stopping just before he reached the point where the honden started, the place where the kami was housed. He hesitated. He'd never been allowed into the honden. Seb said he wasn't ready. But Seb was gone now. Perhaps now he was ready. With a deep breath, he stepped across the tattered rope into the sanctuary, still clutching the sword tightly.

The sense of calm he felt as he entered the sanctuary was astounding. He'd never been in here before, but it smelt like Seb, and the kami that lived here. He wasn't sure he could even describe that, but that's what it was. He knelt before the nave where the kami's sacred object was housed, placing Seb's sword on the floor before it. He'd never seen the sacred object, but Seb had told him it was a shield that had been found on the land before the house had been built. Adam didn't dare open the shrine's doors now. But he was feeling the pull to meditate and found himself slipping into another time. Soon, he was lying unconscious on the sanctuary floor, his mind elsewhere.

_"Strike it properly! Do it like I showed you! You have a strong sword arm and I expect you to use it!" Seb's voice said._

_"But, I don't-" Adam found himself replying, not seeing another version of himself in the vision. He suddenly realised he was holding Seb's sword. He never got to practice with Seb's sword. He was never allowed to._

_"Rubbish. I haven't been wasting my time on you for this long. Again, Akihito," Seb said._

_Adam cringed at the name Seb only ever called him during training before he found himself striking out at the target again, beginning to remember the hours Seb made him practice this particular exercise. Over and over again Adam struck at the target until Seb was satisfied._

_"Good. You still remember how to fight. You'll need all your skills if you want our plan to succeed," Seb said walking towards him._

_"Our plan? What are you talking about?" Adam said._

_"Wil knows. He'll tell you when you get back," Seb said with a grin._

_"Why not tell me now?" Adam said._

_"Because it would take longer than is safe for you," Seb said._

_"What?" Adam said, not understanding why he was unsafe._

_"You think your car wasn't noticed coming into the area? We haven't got long. Soon they'll find it, and the shrine will finally be destroyed. You have to take the kami's shield with you. She needs to be safe. She's guarded our family for centuries. She's now your guardian. Take the shinza with you too. Everything else can be destroyed and rebuilt. You need to fly out of here. The car will be taken and impounded, or most likely destroyed. You understand now why you aren't safe?" Seb said._

_"Yeah, but I had to see you, had to say goodbye," Adam said._

_"You've always risked everything to see me, haven't you?" Seb said, teasing him._

_"It's worth every risk just to see you," Adam said._

_"My little Anael. You never left me, did you?" Seb said, now standing inches away from Adam. He brushed a finger down Adam's cheek, smiling at him._

_"I couldn't leave you," Adam whispered, pressing against Seb, the sword falling to the floor. Adam held onto him, not wanting to let him go. "I'll miss you."_

_"I'll always be with you," Seb said._

_"But not physically," Adam said._

_"Oh, I doubt you'll forget me that easily. Hey, stop looking so depressed. We have a rebellion to plan," Seb said, cupping Adam's face with his hands, making their eyes meet._

_"If you say so."_

_"You give up now, they'll never be overthrown. I need you to fight for me. Lead them. They will follow you," Seb said._

_"Can we… Can I love you one last time?" Adam said, leaning his head against Seb's shoulder._

_"If the kami allows it," Seb said simply._

_"And how can we find out?" Adam said, desperate to be with him._

_"Watch," Seb said, glancing up at the sky._

_Adam looked up, seeing a small sparrow flitting around. The bird flies closer to them, circling, twittering, seemingly the most innocent of things. As the bird approaches them, its form changes, becoming a beautiful Japanese woman, glowing with beautiful light. She reaches her hands up to cup the backs of their heads, blowing air over them before vanishing again in a burst of light._

_"Uh, what was that?" Adam said once he felt able to speak._

_Seb didn't reply, instead kissing Adam hard as he pulled their bodies close. Adam had his answer. So the kami was going to watch over them. Adam thought that sounded a bit odd, but he didn't care. He had his chance to be with Seb one last time. He wasn't going to waste it. He didn't care that their bodies were just figments of light and spirit. They were solid and real enough for their purposes. Not that Adam cared about anything remotely spiritual at that moment. He was too busy being pushed into the ground by Seb, who was frantically stripping them both._

_The ground was cold and earthy but firm, giving the sense that their environment was real. The soil against Adam's skin felt wonderful, as did Seb pressing on top of him, giving him everything one last time. Adam's wings helped cushion him, soft white feathers caressing his skin. The sensation was erotic all in itself, especially with Seb's wings brushing against his chest. Adam had forgotten just how erotic Seb could make his wings._

_Seb paused from kissing Adam's neck, stroking his cheek gently as he gazed into his eyes._

_"This has to be quick, even with the kami's protection," Seb said._

_"I don't care. I need this," Adam said._

_"Then here I come," Seb said, not wasting any further time with foreplay as he pushed inside Adam._

_Adam had never felt so connected to Seb. The friction of their bodies rubbing together, their wings brushing their hot skin, the way they moved together, it was as if they were becoming one being. There was so much heat, energy, pleasure, everything felt so intense. Adam pushed hard against Seb's movements, wanting this last time to be the best. Every stroke, every thrust, brought a wave of pleasure more intense than the last._

_Seb fanned his wings so gently Adam wasn't sure he saw them move, but the soft gust of air gently touching his hot skin told him otherwise. The gentle cooling air was a striking contrast to the heat radiating from their bodies. Adam wasn't sure how much time had passed. He didn't care. He didn't want this moment to end._

_Everything was coming together so perfectly, building up inside him so much he thought he'd burst. Seb closing a fist around him made him yelp, pushing him over that point of no return. He felt his eyes close as he came, feeling Seb's body melting into his._

_'Remember me. I'm in you as you are in me. Take the shield and go, my little Anael,' Seb whispered, his voice fading into nothingness._

And with that, Adam woke, opening his eyes to find himself lying painfully on his back, his wings at an awkward angle. He lay there for a minute; images of what he just saw were swimming around his head. The faint sound of sirens pulled him out of his thoughts. He got to his feet, grabbed the sword and the shinza the shield was in and left the shrine, leaving his shoes behind as he took off into the sky, flying towards the safe haven again as fast as he could, wanting to avoid being seen near the old house.

* * *

Andy found himself driving into the suburbs instead of going to work like he was supposed to. He couldn't get Hamish out of his head. It wasn't enough to know he was alright. He wanted to know what had happened. He didn't really have a plan in mind, just that he'd drive around and look for places that looked like they could be hidden in. He had never been allowed to know the whereabouts of the safe havens in case his connection to the rebellion was discovered by his superiors and they decided to torture the information out of him. Although if Hamish was with Adam, he was probably alright. Adam wouldn't let him get hurt.

He drove past abandoned houses, the charred remains of temples, churches and buildings burnt because they were impure, and the run-down houses the rest of the population lived in. The gap between rich and poor was almost insurmountable by now. If you weren't fit enough for the Army, and you could get no other work, you were doomed to starve. On the far borders of suburbia, hundreds of shanty towns had sprung up as the poorest of the poor were evicted from their houses and forced to fend for themselves.

The farmers had been the worst off. Severe drought had hit them hard, and those not able to afford new equipment and the newest crops that were drought-resistant, were forced off the land and their farms repossessed. There was only so much food that could be produced from the already-barren land, which sent food prices soaring as food was imported from overseas to feed the people. Very few had cars now, as they couldn't afford to buy them, nor afford the petrol required to run them. The Government had seized most of the petrol reserves early into its run to feed the vast array of Armed Forces vehicles that required it to run. Only the privileged few drove cars now, and those who knew how to steal petrol.

Andy stopped his car outside one of the restricted zones. This one was an old industrial area filled with empty warehouses and other such abandoned buildings. It had been abandoned at the State's request and no one was allowed to enter them. Some restricted zones had no buildings at all as they'd all been razed to the ground, but some still stood in some areas. There were rumours floating around that buildings still standing in restricted zones had been poisoned to kill anyone who entered them, but Andy wasn't quite convinced this was true.

He got out and looked around. He was in his patrol car and in uniform. He hadn't bothered to change, and he knew it would get him into areas he wouldn't be able to get into in civilian clothes. It was also easier to write it off as work-related. Though he knew perfectly well no one patrolled the restricted zones. No one wanted to, not when they were so obviously devoid of life. The soldiers didn't want to enter them in case the rumours of the poisoned buildings were true, and they were never given protective gear anyway, so why risk it? Andy had a suspicion that if these safe havens were going to be anywhere, they'd be in one of the restricted zones, as you could pretty much guarantee you'd never be found.

Surveying the buildings, Andy saw no sign of life in any of them. There no fire pits, no vehicles, no sound at all. If there were people living here, they were very good at not being seen. Locking his car, he headed towards the first building, just to see if things were as lifeless as they appeared.

The door he came to was rusted and broken. It took some force to pry it open. He pulled his gun in case he had to defend himself, took a deep breath, and headed inside.

He found himself in a long, narrow corridor. There were no doors or windows that he could see. He walked down it, following it to see where it might lead to. The sound of hushed voices drew him closer, and he left the corridor into a large room enclosed in darkness. Dirty faces turned to look at him as he entered. The sight of his uniform sent them into fearful silence.

"Wow. There are people in here after all," Andy said, putting his gun away.

A crotchety old woman approached him, pointing a crooked finger at him. "You try and remove us and we'll slaughter every last one of you miserable pigs," she warned.

"I wouldn't do that. Besides, I'm here alone, and I'm off-duty. None of this will get to my superiors. I know how important these places are to you," Andy said.

"So why are you here then?" she said spitefully.

"I'm looking for a friend of mine. Do you know if there are any fullwings around here? He was with one of them when I last saw him," Andy said.

"No, there be no fullwings around here. What do you know of them anyway?" the woman said.

"I'm an ally of theirs," Andy said simply, lost for anything else to say.

"Prove it," the woman hissed, looking at him with angry eyes.

"How should I prove it? I've been helping them escape police capture for years, ever since I joined the force. My best friend, the one I'm looking for, he's gone missing. He had a couple of fullwings living with him, and I very strongly suspect it was those fullwings who killed a couple of cops that were found in my friend's flat. Now they're all gone and I need to find them to make sure they're alright," Andy said, opting for honesty.

"Huh. You'll be lucky to find them now. There are 53 restricted zones in New South Wales alone. They could be in any one of them, or even none of them. Good luck. You'll need it," the woman said.

"You can't help me?" Andy said.

"We're just leftovers here, rejects from society. We don't belong to anyone but ourselves. Now get out!" the woman said.

"Wait! You're looking for fullwings? I think I can help you," said another woman, much younger. She walked over to Andy and he could see the tiny vestigial wings marking her as a halfwing. She must never have been able to afford to buy her citizenship and have her wings removed.

"You can? Are there any around here?" Andy said.

"There are if you know where to look. They're even more secretive than us, and you won't just walk into the buildings they're hiding in either. Once you enter their safe havens, you won't leave. It's too risky to leave. If you're important to them on the outside, I suggest you stop looking for them. I can pass a message to them if you like," the young woman offered.

"I don't know how important I am. I've never been able to contact them directly. I was always told to go through my friend, the one I'm looking for. He knows how to contact the fullwings. I don't, hence I'm looking for them. I need to know he's alright," Andy said.

"Are you willing to risk your job, your home, everything, to find them? You'll become a fugitive like your friend, and be unable to return to the outside world. I take it you're human. Your citizenship will be void, you'll be dishonourably discharged from the Army. If they find you, they'll arrest you and shut you in prison. Do you still want to find them?" the young woman asked.

"Yes. I won't rest until I know he's alright. Please, I've known him since childhood, and this is the first time he's vanished when I don't know where he's gone," Andy said, pleading for help.

The young woman considered him. "Alright, I'll take you to them, but you're changing first. I won't lead a soldier around here and risk getting myself killed," she said. "Come with me."

Andy followed her, seeing the old woman scowling at him as he left. The young woman led him into another part of the warehouse.

"This used to be an old clothing manufacturing place, and no one bothered clearing out the storehouse before they left, so we've got plenty of clothes. I'll find you something boring to wear. Leave your uniform here. I'll have it destroyed," she said as she began clambering up the large boxes to find something for him to wear.

Andy stood there and waited for her to return, stripping off in order to change more quickly. She threw some clothes down to him. He picked them off the floor and looked over at them. They were definitely old clothes. No one wore things like this anymore.

She clambered down again, clutching a few more items she thought he might like. "Sorry for bringing you so much. I wasn't sure what you'd like. Oh, and I'm Ruby. I should've introduced myself earlier," she said, handing him the clothes.

"I'm Andy," Andy said, picking through the small selection of clothes until he'd found something he liked.

"Take nothing with you. We'll have the patrol car and a fake corpse torched to fake your death to avoid anyone looking for you. That's why we need your uniform, including your shoes. Everything must look proper or they'll suspect foul play. Now get dressed. We have to get moving," Ruby said.

Andy nodded his understanding as he picked out the least ugly of the clothes she'd brought for him. She picked out a pair of black boots for him as well and once dressed to Ruby's satisfaction, she finally agreed to take Andy to the fullwings.

* * *

Just as they left the warehouse, Ruby grabbed his arm and pulled him down behind some old wooden crates, holding a hand over his mouth to silence him.

"Shh! Choppers! Stay still and quiet!" she hissed to him.

The minutes passed in tense silence as they heard the choppers approach and finally disappear. Only when there was silence did Ruby let him up.

"Methinks they're getting smarter. Now, come with me. We have a long way to travel," Ruby said, grabbing his arm again as she led him away.

Ruby led Andy to another smaller warehouse, which Andy soon discovered was a stable. There were many horses penned up in there, as well as some expensive and not-so-expensive looking gear.

"You know how to ride, yes?" Ruby said as she went to one of the stalls.

"Yeah, it was one of the first things they taught us after I enlisted," Andy said.

"Good. Then I will not have to teach you anything. Go, pick a horse. It is vital you have a mount that likes you. Be quick about it. We must set out before sunset," Ruby said.

Andy nodded and made his way along the stalls, greeting each of the horses in order to find the one best suited to him. Eleven horses later, he found her. She was a beautiful chestnut brown mare with lovely eyes. Stroking her nose affectionately, Andy smiled at her and greeted her.

Ruby soon came up to them, leading her own horse. "Her name is Marriá. Good gentle soul. Tack her up then. We need to get going. I'm assuming you know how to do that without being told, yes?" she said.

"Of course. Just show me where everything is and I can do the rest," Andy said.

Ruby led the way, opening the stall gate and watching the brown mare follow Andy obediently as they headed towards the other end of the stables.

"How long a journey is this going to be?" Andy said.

"Two days, perhaps longer. We will be galloping, so pick your saddle wisely," Ruby said. "Do you know how to hunt with these?" She showed him a basic hunting bow and a quiver of arrows, slick and deadly.

"I haven't used them for years, not since I was a kid. We catching our own food along the way?" Andy said.

"Yes, it is more efficient, and we can carry less. Makes travelling faster. Come," she said as Andy finished getting his mare ready.

Leading their horses out of the stable, they mounted them and tore off into the darkening night, leaving the restricted zone far behind.

* * *

Adam didn't look back, and didn't stop until he arrived back at the haven, being mindful of not being caught. It was nearing dusk as he touched down at last, making his way inside the warehouse again. He headed straight for Wil's room, finding him lounging on the bed, studying what looked like charts or maps.

"I'm back now. Did you miss me?" Adam said, leaning against the doorframe.

Wil looked up from the maps before him. "Yeah, I did. So did Hamish. You ok now?" he said.

"Yeah. I'm… better now. How are things progressing? Seb said you had a plan," Adam said, coming to perch on the bed beside Wil.

"Yeah, we've been working on it for months now. I've got some of the boys off sourcing the things we'll need. We need to strike soon. Leave it too long and we'll all be gone before we have a chance to fight back. The Glass House is now our training arena. Everyone fights or we all die. We can't afford to have people not fighting now. We haven't got enough of a force to let a few not fight. Everyone has to do their bit. I've organised training sessions for those that want them. I said you'd be teaching them. That ok? Just I thought with Seb training you and all, there'd be no one better for the job," Wil said.

"I'd be happy to train them. It'd be good to put Seb's training to good use. When do we start?" Adam said.

"As soon as you're ready. I didn't want to set an exact date until you came back. What's in the box, if you don't mind me asking?" Wil said.

"Oh, it's just… something Seb wanted me to have, that's all. It's-"

"Wil, oh, sorry to interrupt, but Jules has something you might want to hear. There are a couple of geneticists here who might have something that could swing the battle in our favour," Craig said, sticking his head into the bedroom. "Hey Adam. Man, sorry about Seb, hey? That was far too cruel for words. You doing ok?" he said, seeing Adam in the room as well.

"Yeah, as well as can be expected. What's this about geneticists?" Adam said.

"I'm not sure of the details, but they made something they said might help us," Craig said.

"You sure they're on our side, and not some Government spooks trying to infiltrate our ranks?" Wil said.

"We checked them out three times. Timmy insisted. They're safe. Besides, they were arrested and imprisoned several months ago for not agreeing with Government policy. They were smuggled out a few weeks ago and now they're in need of protection in exchange for whatever help they can give. At least come and see them," Craig said.

"Alright, but you know Adam's in charge now, yeah?" Wil said.

"Yeah? Ah, you've got his sword, I see. Well, no one better, really. Come on, they're waiting for you," Craig said.

"Just let me put this away and I'll be right there. Go ahead Wil, won't be long," Adam said, gesturing to the shinza.

"Alright. Whatever you want," Wil said.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here be original characters, science geekery and plotting, Andy being all cute and worried, and Wil, Adam and Hamish being adorable.

Adam watched Craig and Wil leave before heading out himself, heading back to his room to put the shinza away. He wasn't expecting to find Hamish dozing on the couch when he arrived, though. He had to smile at him. He always looked so beautiful when he was sleeping. Quietly, Adam hid the shinza away in the bedroom, buckled the sword to his belt, gave Hamish a quick kiss and left him to sleep, heading to the main area where he found Craig, Wil and Julian talking to a couple of women he didn't recognise.

"Ah, here he is," Wil said, seeing Adam heading towards them.

"Jules, Craig, who have we here?" Adam said, standing beside Wil.

"This is Antoinette and Rachel, the geneticists I told you about," Craig said.

"You must be the Adam I've been hearing so much about. The Government aren't too fond of you," Rachel said.

"No, I can't imagine they are. I'm not too fond of them either," Adam said.

"We've got something you might be very interested in," Rachel said.

"So I was told. And what might that be?" Adam said.

"Over the last couple of years, we were told to create a virus capable of targeting winged humans specifically in order to wipe them out and leave the wingless humans untouched. Sort of like a retrovirus, but targeted to the genes specific to the wings, which, naturally, wingless humans don't possess. We were almost there when we were arrested. Secretly, we had managed to create a virus that would do exactly the opposite; it targets wingless humans, giving them the genes required to grow wings. We never managed to get the full wings you have, but these little things aren't bad, hey?" Rachel said, turning around to show Adam the small wings on her back.

"That virus did that? That's incredible. But what use could we have for a virus like that?" Adam said.

"We thought that if we gave it to enough people, they'd grow wings, and when the cops go to arrest them, it'll cause enough upset that they'll want to fight back. We could tell them that the Government's doing it to them, have been secretly trying to eradicate wingless humans in favour of a more evolved winged race. I mean, that's how you guys came along in the first place. Convince them enough that they're trying to do the same again and we could have a whole lot more help on our hands," Rachel said.

"Ah, but people are unpredictable. How do you know they won't just turn on us instead?" Adam said.

"There's enough fear amongst them that we can convince them. Sure, no one would admit they were afraid of the Government, but it's there. The State controls everything. That is enough to nurture fear in the people. Besides, some of them are jealous of you. I mean, you can fly! You can actually fly! For as long as humans have existed, they've wanted to fly. And there you are, soaring above us all, flying like a bird! Do you know how easy it would be to offer them the ability to fly as well? I'd love to finish working on another version of the virus, one that will eventually grow full wings. Think about it. We could use it to rally support," Rachel said rather enthusiastically.

"I don't know. Maybe it's hard for you to understand, since you haven't had to put up with all their shit because of your wings, but it's hard to see any of them actually wanting wings. Humans can be incredibly cruel. You've seen what they do to humans, winged or otherwise, that they want to get out of the way. I've been arrested, beaten, insulted, you name it, all because I have wings. That doesn't exactly endear you to the wingless population, to see them declared citizens of this country, the same one I was born in, because they don't have the fucking 'genetic impurities' we have! We're denounced as citizens; we're a people not belonging to a nation at all, because the one that made us doesn't want us anymore. They want to wipe our kind off the face of the planet. They've been hunting us for years. There's no way we're going to convince them that we're the ones they want to side with. As far as we're concerned, they're the enemy as much as the State is. The only ones we can trust are ourselves," Adam said, his anger getting the better of him.

Rachel glared at him and slapped him hard. "Get off your high horse, Adam. I've always supported you guys. You're as bad as us, as them, always thinking in opposites. Take your blinkers off and see the population for what they are. The Government has divided us, and this elitist attitude on both sides isn't helping. Aren't you in love with a wingless human anyway? Or are those rumours wrong too?" she said.

"Adam, calm the fuck down and listen to her. We need to work together. Do I need to take you aside and fuck you back to your senses before you listen to me?" Wil said.

Adam paused. That idea had merit. He gave Wil a flirtatious glance, trying to annoy him enough to make good on his threat, but to no avail. Wil just glared back at him.

"Don't give me that look. Calm down and listen, ok? I think this could work. Besides, what else do we have? The more people we can get onside the better, or will you start cutting out the halfwings because they're not full-blooded? Honestly, you can be as bad as them sometimes," Wil said.

Adam took a deep breath and tried to shrug off his anger. He knew Wil was right. He was letting them get to him. Maybe he was still angry at Seb's death. "Sorry about that. It just – it gets me so angry sometimes. Sometimes you just feel so completely hopeless, like there's no way things will ever change. You might as well just sit back and wait for them to come for you and kill you and your friends. Yes, I am in love with Hamish, and he doesn't have wings. Heh, even more reason for them to kill me. I have wings, and I'm gay. That alone deserves two deaths," he said.

"It's alright. Just stop being so pig-headed and we'll be fine. Now, you got anything resembling food here? We're starving. We can discuss this after a good feed, I think," Rachel said.

"Yeah. I'm sure we could find something, hey, Wil?" Adam said.

"Come this way. Food's down here," Wil said, gesturing for them to follow.

* * *

Wil led them down the room towards another large room where the mess hall was. It was a rather large warehouse, with several large rooms like this, as well as at least 50 smaller rooms converted into bedrooms for people to stay in. Because it was so huge, it was easy to have everything done inside, so that there was less chance of it being found by the cops if they bothered to look here. And the less activity they showed outside, the better at keeping the illusion that the place was uninhabited.

Discussions began once some semblance of a meal had been brought out. Sure it wasn't anything fancy, but it would do til they were in a position to get something better. Being non-citizens meant stealing, smuggling, using whatever methods they could to survive, especially when they had to keep everyone at the safe haven fed and reasonably healthy. They mainly relied on hijacking delivery trucks once a week or once a fortnight and smuggling the food back to the shelter. Any weapons they had stockpiled, they had stolen from the Army or had smuggled them into the country through Indonesia.

"How much do you know about your own biology?" Rachel said once they'd all settled after the meal.

"Probably not as much as you, I'd wager," Adam said.

"I know you like to consider yourselves human, and I wouldn't disagree with you, but you're actually very different, despite sharing a lot of the same genes as us. Your body plan involves six limbs, not four. That already sets you apart, embryologically speaking. That together with your skeletal, respiratory and muscular systems that are modified to make you capable of flight, and we have one very different human on our hands,' Rachel said.

"So what are you saying? That we aren't human and should be wiped out? If we're that different, we deserve all this shit we're getting from the Government?" Adam said, forcing himself to remain calm.

"I never said that. You're just another species of human, that's all. Humans are all grouped in the genus Homo, modern humans being known as _Homo sapiens_, or _Homo sapiens sapiens_, depending on how you classify humans. Never before in modern human history have we been living side by side another species of human, even one we created. It pains me that scientists from all over the world aren't rallying to your cause. And I don't want you to think that means I want to have you all shut up and locked away to be studied, but since the Government has either hidden or destroyed all the notes made by the scientists who created you in the first place, there's little we know about you apart from what we've managed to learn over the years. We're not even sure about every gene they used to make you. When this is all over, and you've won back the country's freedom, I want to write a treatise on your kind, to tell the world all about you. We'll have to come up with a species name for you, won't we? And determine if you're a subspecies or a separate species," Rachel said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic.

"What the difference between a subspecies and a species?" Wil said.

"A subspecies is like a subgroup of a species. If you guys are a subspecies, we'd call you Homo sapiens and add your subspecies name on the end. Subspecies can usually successfully reproduce with other subspecies or the main group they came from. Interspecies reproduction, that is, reproduction between species, usually isn't possible," Rachel said. "The existence of the half breeds would suggest reproduction between subspecies is possible. I'd like to detail exactly how much of our genome we share that allows us to interbreed. You can't be that genetically different if successful reproduction is possible. Do any of you know if the half breeds are fertile?"

"More so than the full blooded winged humans like us, I think, because it's easier to disguise their wings. They can integrate into the general population a lot easier than we can. A lot of us fullwings try and mate with other fullwings to make sure we don't die out. And with all the corruption around, it's easy enough to pay the doctors off to get a card that said you're human when you're a half breed. Besides, the readers the cops carry around don't actually check the DNA is actually human, just that it matches what's on the cards. How they missed such a vital flaw I don't know. A lot of our half breeds have cards. It's harder for us because we're becoming well known to the cops. We have to be very careful where we go so that we don't get recognised and arrested," Adam said.

"Then subspecies it is then, in spite of how different you are. Should we name your subspecies name after Sepulchre? He was certainly one of the most well known winged humans. No one really knew how old he was either. I remember hearing stories about him when I was a kid," Rachel said.

"I first met him twenty years ago. I never knew how old he was either. I think that'd be nice, to name us after him. He certainly wasn't the first, but certainly he was the one who inspired us all over the years. His name was always a whispered legend when I was a kid. I didn't even know if he was real back then. We knew all his stories though. Everyone wanted to be like him. I didn't quite realise who he was when I first met him. Only the next morning did it sink in, and by then I never wanted to leave his side. He had that effect on people. He made you want to fight. He gave you hope that things would be different, and that we were capable of bringing about that change. As much as I want to believe it, I know I'll never fill his shoes. I'll just have to do my best and try and bring us freedom without him," Adam said.

"You know everyone's behind you, Adam. We have to do this. For Seb. So that everything he suffered wasn't in vain," Wil said.

"I know. It's still hard to believe he's gone. I still feel him around; still hear him whispering to me, giving me advice. I can still picture that parade. Seeing that, I felt like they'd come and stabbed me in the chest. I knew where he was going. He'd be led down that street and into a van to be taken away and killed. Maybe they tortured him some more. They didn't just kill him, they destroyed him," Adam said, finding himself almost overcome with grief again.

Wil pulled him into a hug, doing his best to calm him down. Wil glanced up at the rest of the group. "Why don't we take a short break?" he suggested.

With murmured agreement, Wil was left alone with Adam.

"Mate, come on, we're going for a walk," Wil said, pulling Adam to his feet.

Adam stood, barely nodded his agreement, and let Wil lead him out of the room.

* * *

Ruby and Andy rode for a good couple of hours before Ruby stopped them at a small campsite off the side of the road they'd been travelling on. She was being careful with how long they travelled for, and even though they were mainly travelling on the outer country roads, they still had checkpoints and other things they needed to be cautious about. Two people travelling with haste on horseback would be noticed, and Ruby didn't want to bring unwanted attention on them.

Tying the horses up, Ruby went off to hunt for food while Andy guarded their campsite. He got the campfire burning and spent the time talking quietly to his mare, Marriá. She was a gentle horse, one of the best he'd ever ridden. She was small and fast, but could keep up with Ruby's larger horse quite comfortably.

Ruby returned some time later with freshly killed small furry mammals of some description – Andy couldn't quite identify them in the dark light. She set to preparing them almost immediately, cooking some for their dinner tonight and some for their travels tomorrow.

"She likes you, she does. You know how to ride her properly. You ride with her, not on her. She appreciates that. Now, come, dinner is ready," Ruby said as she stirred the pot on the fire.

Andy sat down obediently, not bothering to ask her how she knew what his horse was thinking. He didn't think he'd get a straight answer anyway.

* * *

Adam didn't pay much attention to where they were going until they stopped outside Adam's room. As they walked, Wil wasn't talking, and Adam was quite content to let the silence continue.

"And we're here because?" Adam said.

"Go in and be with Hamish. He's missed you a lot, you know," Wil said.

Adam looked at the ground, almost not wanting to go inside.

"Go on. I'm not leaving til you're in there with him. You need him right now," Wil said, opening the door and pushing Adam towards it.

"Whatever you think is best," Adam said with a heavy sigh, stepping inside the small room to see Hamish still sleeping on the couch. He glanced back as the door shut behind him. As much as he wanted to go sit by Hamish, the shinza was calling. He wanted to see the shield for himself. He gave Hamish a quick glance as he entered the bedroom, pulling the shinza out and setting it on the bed.

He knelt on the floor in front of the wooden shrine box, almost not wanting to disturb it. It felt wrong to open it and remove the kami's sacred item.

'Care for it. Open the shinza and polish the shield until it shines as bright as the sun,' Seb's voice prodded his mind.

Feeling the huge sense of importance as he opened the shrine with its old rusty key for the first time, Adam reached in and grabbed the shield with his hands as reverently as he could. It felt small, and cold. He could barely see it in the darkness of the shinza. As he carefully removed it, he had to contain his shock as the shield increased in size, as if the outside air was fuelling it somehow. When it had been fully removed, it was over half a metre in diameter. Adam sat on the floor, gazing at the shield in amazement.

It was beautiful, made of gold, inlaid with silver and precious jewels. Circular in shape, it seemed like it had been made as a ceremonial item as opposed to one actually used in battle. The sun in the middle of the shield made Adam wonder whether the kami it belonged to was Amaterasu, the sun Goddess, but why a shield and not a mirror, as was usual in every other shrine to the Goddess? Adam didn't stay long to contemplate it as he began polishing it with a soft cloth the shield had been sitting on inside the shinza, simply because it had felt right.

As he polished it, it began to shine, seemingly shining brighter than he'd expected, given the light in the room at the time. It was calming, polishing the shield. Meditative, even. He thought back over everything that had happened over the last day or so. Everything had changed so dramatically.

Seb was caught, arrested, humiliated, murdered, and to what end? What purpose? Adam was left alone, gifted his sword and this shield, told to take his place, to lead them all in their attack against a Government that despises them.

Adam doubted he could do it. In spite of his calm exterior, rage was boiling inside him. Rage, guilt, doubt, Adam was beginning to think he'd never be good enough to lead.

"I should never have left him. Seb was in danger and I fucking left him there to die. This is all my fault. If I'd just stayed with him, we could've fought them off. He's dead because of me," Adam found himself saying quietly.

'Quit blaming yourself. I need you to fight, not sit around here moping. Now polish that shield. It's not shining enough yet,' Seb's voice answered in his head.

"I'm sorry, Seb. I've failed you," Adam said.

'What? Already? I'll be the judge of that. We've only just begun, my Anael,' Seb said.

"But what's the point in fighting if we end up dead and nothing changes?" Adam said.

'You won't know til you fight. Calm yourself. The shield will bring you fortune. Keep it safe,' Seb said.

"Is it Amaterasu's?" Adam said.

'Yes. It's a very rare and precious object, that shield,' Seb said.

"But why a shield and not a mirror?" Adam said.

'Because this is Amaterasu-in-Her-aspect-of-Protector, a little known aspect of the Great Goddess. It shines like the sun, like She does. It represents Her power, the sun's power manifest as a great shield of light that protects against all manner of things,' Seb said.

"If it's so rare, how did you come by it?" Adam said.

'That is a story for another time, my Anael,' Seb said.

"Why not now?" Adam said.

'You have far more important things to worry about than the origins of this precious shield,' Seb said.

"So you keep saying," Adam said.

'Are you starting to doubt the need for this fight?' Seb said.

"No, no, nothing could be more urgent. I just can't help thinking that nothing can ever make up for what they did to you," Adam said.

'This fight is not about me. This is about freedom. Do not lose sight of that aim, my Anael,' Seb said.

"But without you, we wouldn't be fighting in the first place," Adam counters.

'No, you'd all be dead,' Seb said flatly.

"Are we that dependant on you?" Adam said.

'Not anymore you're not,' Seb said.

"I miss you," Adam said quietly.

'I know you do. So does everyone else. Yes, that includes Wil and Tim. I'm sorry you had to see that parade. But it symbolises what we're fighting against. That brutality was necessary to make people realise that this Government needs to end. Now. Before they really do wipe us out for good,' Seb said.

"How long til we attack then? You sound like you have everything planned already," Adam said.

'Wil knows what I have planned. It cannot fail. On November 29th, we attack Canberra en force,' Seb said.

"Why November 29th?" Adam said.

'Because there is no other time,' Seb said.

"Are you going to tell me anything concrete or be content to speak in riddles? Don't you trust me anymore?" Adam said, irritated by Seb's refusal to tell him any details.

'This isn't about trust,' Seb said simply.

"Then what is it about?" Adam said.

'I have to go now. Mother is calling to me, and I must answer. As long as the shield is shining, Mother will watch over you. Never forget that,' Seb said.

Before Adam could get an answer together, Seb had gone. A few moments later, it suddenly occurred to him who Seb's Mother was. Amaterasu. Seb was a kami? How had Adam missed that? How do you miss making love to a God? Although it did explain a lot. Seb had almost appeared out of nowhere. What other explanation made sense than that he was a kami?

* * *

Back at the campsite, Ruby dished out their meal in silence. Andy wanted to speak, but he had no idea what to say, and Ruby was giving him a look that told him to shut up. He figured obedience was best. After all, she was the one who knew where they were going and he didn't want to annoy her. She'd barely told him anything, actually. All Andy knew was to follow her. She'd take him to the safe havens. She probably knew how to get there without being caught.

Andy wondered where he was being taken. Was she really taking him where she said she was taking him? What if she was going to betray him later on? He didn't know who she was. All he cared about was finding Hamish. He was wiling to trust the first person he found who said they could take him to the fullwings. What the hell was he thinking? Was she right? Was he now a fugitive, just like Hamish? Was there really no escape once he got to the safe havens? Well, it would be if they've done to his car what they said they were going to do. Once they found his corpse and his car, there would be no returning. He couldn't come back to life. Even if there was escape from the havens, he would officially be dead anyway. Had he totally fucked up in searching for Hamish? He'd given away their one source of police information because he was too desperate to find him.

Staring into the fire, Andy remembered the pact he'd made with Hamish when they were kids. They'd been playing in the forest near his house when a wild dog had attacked them. Hamish had been bitten badly, but Andy had grabbed a large stick and beaten the dog off. He hadn't killed it, but it had run off whimpering and bleeding. Hamish was lying on the ground groaning in pain.

"Promise you'll look after me. Don't let me get in trouble," Hamish had demanded as he lay there.

Andy wrapped his shirt around the bleeding wound, trying to make sure he survived. He grabbed Hamish's hand and promised to look after him. Taking out his pocket knife, he'd slit his palm open, slit Hamish's palm open, and bound their hands together. Hamish would never get hurt under his watch. It was part of the reason he'd stayed in the Army for so long. He needed to protect him, and it was the only way he knew how to save him from being killed.

Andy was pretty sure only he'd noticed the small barely visible almost identical scars on the back of Hamish's shoulder blades one afternoon when they were swimming in one of the lakes. He knew what they were. He recognised them instantly. He wondered why Hamish didn't know. He'd asked him about them, but Hamish said they were just from something he'd done when he was 3 that he couldn't remember anymore. Andy suspected it had been done far earlier than that, or he would have remembered. But he never brought it up again as Hamish had no knowledge of who his father really was anyway. Andy suspected he'd never know. He wondered if he'd known when he made Andy promise to look after him. Why else would be ask him to protect him? Still, he denied any knowledge of it and was quite adamant he was human.

He was itching to find him now. If anyone discovered what he was, there would be trouble. Halfwings caught with fake IDs had been known to be arrested and thrown in jail, if they were lucky. Hamish was in big trouble. If he was seen, he would be arrested. With nothing else to go on, they would hold him accountable for killing the two cops, even if the evidence said otherwise. He would probably be killed. No one got away with killing cops anymore. It was the one crime you couldn't bribe your way out of.

Andy sat by the fire, lost in thought, as he ate his dinner. Ruby watched him, wondering what he was thinking about. She had her own concerns, sure, and she wouldn't lead him into danger, yet she couldn't help but wonder at his real motives even though Andy didn't seem like the kind of guy to lie about that sort of thing. She knew his type. The only thing she could think of was what Hamish truly meant to him, otherwise why go to all this trouble?

"You must really love him to go to so much effort to find him. I hope he's worth it when we get there. I hope I'm not run out of there again. Wil was not exactly welcoming last time, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Ruby murmured as she watched Andy and the dancing flames.

* * *

Adam sat there, mindlessly polishing the shield as the revelation sunk in. That's how Hamish found him a few moments later when he wandered into the bedroom to see who Adam had been talking to. He was scratching his palm mindlessly, trying to make the scar stop itching. It reminded him of Andy, and he hoped he was alright.

"You alri – where the bloody hell did that shield come from?" Hamish said, seeing the now very shiny shield in Adam's hands.

"Hamish. Hey there. Um, this is-" Adam paused unsure if he should tell Hamish the truth or not. He glanced down at the shield, seeing a pair of piercing green eyes staring back at him. "This is from Seb. Sort of like a good luck charm, of sorts," he decided. He cringed at his poor choice of words. Good luck charm? Fucking hell, it was so much more than that, but he wondered if Hamish would understand. He carefully placed the shield back in the shinza again, marvelling at how it shrunk back small enough to fit. Adam wondered if Hamish had noticed it.

"Whoever heard of a shield that fucking large as a good luck charm?" Hamish said, stifling a laugh. He didn't quite believe Adam.

"As I said. It's a good luck charm. Of sorts. Seb said it would bring us fortune," Adam said.

"Right. So, how are you anyway?" Hamish said, coming to sit beside him.

"Better than I was. Still hurting though. Did I miss anything while I was gone?" Adam said, knowing perfectly well Hamish had been sleeping the whole time.

"Well, I don't-" Hamish started, but had to grin as he saw the cheeky look on Adam's face.

"It's ok. You're allowed to sleep, you know," Adam said as the narrator once again fought the urge to use emoticons in speech.

"I was gonna go shower. Wanna come?" Hamish said, trying to sound seductive.

Adam tried to be serious, but couldn't help bursting out laughing at Hamish's attempts. "Come on then. I'll race you there," he said, getting to his feet.

* * *

Much as he tried, Andy couldn't stop worrying about Hamish. He noticed the scar on his palm from when he'd vowed to look after Hamish was tingling slightly. Andy wondered what it meant. He brushed a finger along it gently, hoping Hamish was alright. He could be anywhere now. He might not be with Adam. He could have been arrested, or killed by others. Not knowing was not doing kind things to his mind. All he knew was that Adam and Tim had presumably killed those two cops in Hamish's flat, and now they'd all disappeared. Had they taken Hamish with them as they'd escaped, or had they left him to fend for himself? Had they been cornered and captured? There were so many things Andy didn't know, and he couldn't help but think the worst.

"Oi, Andy, you still with me?" Ruby interrupted his thoughts as she threw a small rock at him to get his attention.

Andy looked over at her, wondering what she wanted. "Hmm? Me? Oh, yeah, I'm sorry – was deep in thought. You wanted something?"

"I've changed my mind. We're staying here tonight. The air doesn't smell right for travel. We'll set off at dawn tomorrow, so make sure you get some sleep, alright? It'll be a long day and I won't have you riding tired. I need you to be alert to danger," Ruby said.

"Oh, okay. I'll try. Sleep might come easier if I wasn't so worried about Hamish," Andy confessed.

Ruby came and knelt in front of him. "He will be fine. Worrying yourself sick will not make him safe, and wastes precious energy. I have something to help you sleep, if you would take medicine from a gypsy," she said.

"If you think it would help, I'm all for it. I want to sleep, but I don't know if I'll be able to," Andy said.

Ruby fished around in her satchel and pulled out a small flask. "Here, take a sip. Not too much though, or you'll be out for hours. Just a capful will do it," she cautioned, handing him the flask.

"Right. Thanks again," Andy said.

He measured out a capful of the liquid and drinking it in one go. It made his throat feel warm. Ruby took the flask from him and helped Andy into his makeshift bed.

"Sleep well, Andy. I'll wake you for breakfast," Ruby said as Andy succumbed to the draught.

"Wait, are you-you gonna..."

"Hush. I have things to do. Sleep now," Ruby said, touching a finger to his lips to silence him.

And that was that. Andy closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, unaware of Ruby getting ready to watch over their camp as he slept.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Wet Kinky Admish Shower Sex Scene That Did Not Go To Plan. No, really, I lost control of this scene. No one did as they were told. This is the result. I could've cut it, but I feel every now and then a writer needs to acknowledge what happens during NaNo when your characters run away with the plot and you can't stop them at all. XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artz related to said scene can be found [here](http://ibdjehuty.deviantart.com/art/Wet-Kinky-Admish-Shower-Sex-96462752).

Adam was halfway out the door when Hamish caught up, but still lost out as Adam used his wings to slow Hamish down, which Hamish thought was a very dirty trick indeed. Not for the first time did Hamish wish he had wings as lovely as Adam's.

By the time they reached the bathroom, which was a communal one to maximise space usage, Hamish was almost out of breath. Adam was waiting for him by their locker, grinning at him.

"Look who lost again," Adam joked.

"Hey, no fair. You know this is the first time I've been here," Hamish said, deliberately sounding extra whiny just to annoy him.

"You totally could've used the time I was away to explore instead of sleep," Adam said. "Now, enough whingeing, I wanna see you wet and naked," he said, grabbing Hamish's wrist.

The narrator once again shakes her head at her main characters and their urge to have sex at the most inconvenient times. How apt that the narrator is listening to NIN's Closer at the moment. Perfect song for a bit of smut. Although the narrator expresses her delight at Adam and Hamish finally getting together at last. Not that she didn't mind Adam/Wil or Adam/Seb, but she has to admit Adam/Hamish is totally hot and very much lacking in the story so far.

Hamish was pulled into the shower proper where Adam took little time in getting them both naked. Hamish was quietly relieved there was no one else there. Showering with other guys alone was bad enough. Having to do it when Adam was feeling horny was even worse. Maybe Adam had planned it that way, so they weren't disturbed.

Adam pulled Hamish into a tight hug, teasing him with his wings. Hamish found himself suddenly pulled under hot water, pressed against his lover, wet lips pinned against his own, Adam's flight feathers tickling the back of his legs. Slowly, Adam's wings spread to wrap around them both, making Hamish feel as though he was being wrapped in a warm blanket, albeit one made of wet feathers. Something inside Hamish exploded. There was something about Adam's touch that Hamish just loved. He couldn't help grabbing onto him, glad to be with him at last.

Charles, stop giving me kinky ideas for you boys in a dungeon. I don't need any help from you to get those ideas, thank you very much. If you boys end up in a dungeon in this story, I can guarantee it won't be pleasant. You will probably end up dead. Or badly tortured, and not in a kinky way either. So be quiet. You're interrupting my Admish smut.

Dammit, Charles, you've infiltrated my plain shower smut with kinkiness. No, Adam, Hamish can't have a collar. No, it's supposed to be hot and wet, not wet and leather-infused. Damn you buying into my love of leather, you bitch. Why must it be wet and kinky? How is this at all relevant to the plot? _Oh, shush, just write, will you?_ Craig, why do you suddenly want me to write smut not involving – no, you can't join in. No, absolutely not. Why must you fuck up my lovely cute hot Admish shower smut? Fuck off, Craig. _I want in._ Hell no. _Oh, go on. I'm not going this entire novel without sex._ You will if I say you will. _I won't stop bugging you until I get sex._ Then you'll be begging me the entire time. They don't want you barging in. _How do you know? Have you asked them?_ I don't need to. Hey, I though I told you to fuck off? Get out of the bathroom. Stop walking towards them. No, quit it, Craig. I mean it. _I ain't going anywhere. Craig wants sex now._ Then Craig can go find someone else to fuck. _Then why is Adam grinning at me and inviting me into his arms?_ Because you're all being very disobedient characters and if you don't start behaving then I'll be forced to have one or more of you killed. _But that's inevitable anyway, given what you have planned for the ending._ Shut up.

"Will you quit arguing and let me get on with this?" Adam said.

Please tell me you're actually alright with this. What about Hamish? Since when could you hear my narration?

"Hamish likes it, don't you Ham?" Adam said. "And since when Craig decided to piss off and let me be the main character. But by all means argue with the whelp."

Adam, be quiet. Get on with things. And no, that doesn't mean sex with Hamish and Craig.

"Hmm? What do I like?" Hamish said, only half paying attention as he wasn't able to hear the narration.

"Craig wants to join us, love. Is that alright?" Adam said, grabbing Hamish by the waist and pulling him close.

Hamish looked at Craig standing by the wall, grinning at them, conveniently naked, his wings gleaming. "Um, do I have a choice in the matter?" he said.

"Of course. But Adam knows what I can do, don't you Adam darling?" Craig said, stalking up to them. He brushed a hand against Hamish's arm, sidling up to Adam.

Hamish shot a glance at Adam. "What's he talking about?" he said, his mind once again plagued with doubts about Adam's loyalty. Don't worry, Hamish, love, he might sleep around, but he'll always come back to you. And if he doesn't, he'll have me to answer to.

Once again the narrator questions the relevance of this scene.

"Oh, it's nothing, love. If you don't want to, I won't force you," Adam said. "And stop threatening me. Why does everyone have to question that?"

I wouldn't have to if you didn't feel the need to fuck every cute boy with wings.

"Oh, shush," Adam said.

I notice Craig hasn't gifted me your thoughts, though.

"Go kick Craig for that, will you? He's beginning to annoy me," Adam said.

Go kick him yourself if he's bugging you that much.

"Who are you talking to, Adam?" Hamish said.

"I've started hearing the narration. Sorry about that. She can't hear my thoughts though. And she's still arguing with Craig," Adam said.

"Right. Seriously, I think that 'hearing the narration' thing is overrated. You sound like you're talking to yourself," Hamish said.

Can we get on with this? Please?

"Yeah, get on with it, Ham," Adam said.

"Fine," Hamish said. He got his mind back to the situation at hand. He looked torn. He wasn't completely unopposed to the idea, since Adam was here too, but it was never something he'd done before, and he wasn't sure he could stand it. "I don't know, I-" he hesitated, looking at them both.

"I brought your collar, love. Want this to get a bit kinky, hmm?" Adam said.

Hamish melted at that. The look Adam gave him won him over as he offered his collar to him. "Dammit, you know me far too well," Hamish cursed.

"So that's a yes then, hmm?" Adam grinned.

"Oh why not? Just – ease me into this. I've never done this before, and-"

Adam cut him off with a kiss, wet hands sliding his collar around his throat. Hamish gasped as he felt Adam's hands moving against his skin. Adam held him close to his chest once he'd done buckling up the collar – a slightly more waterproof version of Hamish's actual collar; Adam had been planning this for a long time. Not the threesome with Craig, obviously, but the kinky shower sex at any rate.

Hamish moaned into the kiss, his fingers tangling through Adam's wings, just before he felt another set of arms close around him and wet lips planting kisses on the back of his neck. Hamish felt a tad special, having two winged humans touching him so intimately, although he was a bit wigged out at that other person being Craig. Bodies and wings filled Hamish's vision, touching him everywhere, making Hamish wonder if he'd actually died and gone to heaven. Oh, Gods that sounds cheesy, doesn't it? Dammit, Craig, this is all your fault. Less talking, more fucking. Shut up. Stop sounding like Paul.

Hamish was surprised to find his hands cuffed above the shower. Stop it, guys. Sorry about this. Craig, honey, this isn't working. Fuck off now, will you? You're wrecking my pretty smut. Fine, but I want sex, one way or another. I don't care who you pair me with, as long as it's Chris. Yeah, that'd be right. Just piss off and let me rewrite this bit without you. Give me a boyfriend, dammit! Be quiet and fuck off. You get one later on. That's no comfort. Want sex now. Go fuck someone else then. I hate you. So very much. Yes, I love you too, Craig, dear.

Right, so Adam cut Hamish off with a kiss, wet hands sliding his collar around his throat. Hamish gasped as he felt Adam's hands moving against his skin. Adam held him close to his chest once he'd done buckling up the collar – a slightly more waterproof version of Hamish's actual collar; Adam had been planning this for a long time. Not the threesome with Craig, obviously, but the kinky shower sex at any rate.

Hamish moaned into the kiss, his fingers tangling through Adam's wings to wrap around him. Slowly, Adam guided Hamish's kisses down his chest until he was kneeling on the ground before him, still planting kisses onto the older man's skin. Adam held him tightly, relishing the contact with his lover. Before Hamish could do what he instinctively wanted to do, kneeling as he was before him, Adam grabbed his arms and made him look up at him.

"What's the matter?" Hamish said.

"Will you wash me?" Adam said.

"Certainly, Master," Hamish said, taking one of Adam's hands in his and kissing it gently.

"Could you start with my wings?" Adam said.

"You want me to wash your wings, Adam?" Hamish said. Truthfully, Hamish was happy to oblige. It wasn't often Hamish got to wash him, especially not his wings. But he wanted to make sure. He didn't want to mess it up. Adam, just like every winged human, was proud of his wings.

"Yeah, I mean, if you want to. I'll help you if you like," Adam said as the narrator once again resists the urge to use emoticons.

"Well then, how can I refuse?" Hamish said.

Adam smiled down at him and helped Hamish to his feet. Adam pulled Hamish into a tight hug before he let Hamish get started. Hamish carefully lathered the wings with the soap Adam handed him, being careful not to mess up the feathers too much. Adam hadn't asked him to, but Hamish insisted on paying detailed attention to each feather, running it between his hands as he lathered them. Adam was soon purrgrowling with delight at Hamish's gentle touch. Soon he was leaning against the wall as Hamish cleaned his wings, unable to stand just how erotic Hamish was making the whole experience. He'd never had his wings cleaned like this before. He suddenly felt Hamish pressed up against him, arms slinking around his chest, fingers reaching for that nipple ring of his Hamish so loved to play with. Adam could feel him behind him, knew he was as turned on by all this as he was, wondered distantly how Hamish could stop himself from taking him right there against the shower wall, which Adam had to admit he would very much enjoy. He tried to encourage Hamish to take charge once in a while, but just as he was about to taunt Hamish into taking him, Hamish spoke.

"We'll get to the sex later," was all Hamish whispered to him, licking his cheek teasingly.

Adam groaned in frustration. Hamish still had another wing to do and Adam wasn't sure he could hold off that long. Although, Adam did think he deserved it for all the times he'd teased Hamish like this. It was only fair the boy got his own back. But he was really trying his patience when he started paying special attention to that spot between his wings, planting soft kisses and gentle caresses there. But before Adam could get settled into those sensations, Hamish had started on the other wing, making Adam groan again. Hamish was being a right tease, which, Adam supposed, he had every right to be. He was only doing to Adam what Adam had mostly done to him.

Adam endured Hamish's careful attention to his wing, only barely managing to hang on before he turned his attention to the rest of his body, soaping him down with those gentle hands of his. Hamish half-washed him, half-massaged him, and by the time he was finished, Adam did feel very relaxed indeed. He almost yelped in joy when he found himself pressed against the shower wall, Hamish pushing his way inside him. He had so wanted Hamish to do just that to him. Hamish had an arm wrapped around his chest, his free hand doing its own form of cock teasing. Both took little time to come, Adam secretly loving Hamish taking charge of him so easily. It made everything feel so much better, and it wasn't often Adam let someone else top.

Collapsed against each other against the shower wall, Hamish simply clung onto Adam, relishing this chance to be with him at last. It had been a while, and Hamish was glad to see Adam wasn't grieving so badly he couldn't let Hamish help comfort him. Hamish let Adam turn around to face him. Adam couldn't help kissing him, more grateful that he thought he could ever articulate. As they broke apart, Adam lifted a hand to brush Hamish's hair out of his eyes. Hamish had to giggle at this, knowing his hair was probably a mess, but he was too happy right now to care.

"Thank you," Adam said.

"What for?" Hamish said.

Adam just smiled. "Nothing," he said, unable to find the right way to express his gratitude.

Hamish just kissed him again, somehow knowing what Adam was trying to say.

"You gonna be alright now?" Hamish said once they broke apart again.

"Yeah, I think so. Just – help me. Don't let me get so caught up with revenge I forget why we're fighting," Adam said.

"Don't worry. I won't let that happen. You know you can talk to me about anything, yeah?" Hamish said.

"Yeah, I know. Hey, we'd better get back out there. I still have to talk to Wil about what we're planning. You're good at sidetracking me, you are," Adam said.

"I didn't hear you complaining," Hamish said with a smirk.

"How could I when you were being such a tease?" Adam countered.

"I learnt it all from you, love," Hamish said.

"And I learnt it from the master," Adam said as he pulled away from him, going to get dried off, deliberately not mentioning exactly who he'd learnt it from, just to spite Hamish.

"Hey, get back here," Hamish said, following him once he'd turned the shower off.

"The rebellion won't plan itself, you know, and since Seb wants me to lead, it would be a good idea to know what he has planned, since he refuses to tell me. I ask and all I get in response is, "Go talk to Wil," so that's what I'm going to do," Adam said.

"Are you going to leave me to hang around on my own? Or are you going to give me something to do? Don't you trust me enough to let me help with this?" Hamish said, trying not to sound whiny or hurt.

"Yeah, I was only keeping you out of it before because I didn't want you getting hurt. Now that we'll probably be living here til the rebellion, it's safer to tell you things. Come on then. Get dressed if you want to come with me," Adam said with a grin.

With a big grin, Hamish dried off and dressed quickly, following Adam out to the large meeting room where Wil was waiting for them with Rachel, Antoinette, Julian and Craig.

"There, see I told you being with Hamish would do you good, didn't I?" Wil said as they approached.

"Yeah, did me a world of good. Thanks for that," Adam said. "Isn't it about time you told me Seb's plan, since he refuses to tell me himself?"

"Yeah, let's go to one of the smaller meeting rooms. There's been a couple of changes I need to go over with everyone. Is everyone here, Jules?" Wil said.

"Yeah, I'll let everyone know. Room 5 in ten minutes?" Julian said.

"Sounds good. That'll give us time to go get coffee. You coming guys?" Wil said.

"Yeah, I hear we managed to get some good quality coffee this time, which will make for a nice change," Adam said.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinda lacking in Chasers, this bit. Adam, Wil and Hamish kinda took over. But we do get some actual planning done for once. XD

Julian and Craig went to round people up, while Adam, Wil, Hamish, Rachel and Antoinette went to get coffee, and ten minutes later, everyone was crammed into meeting room 5, where Wil was getting ready to go over the plans for the attack. Adam, Wil, Tim, Hamish, Julian, Chas, Craig, Rachel, Antoinette, Dom, Chris and Andrew sat around the table, ready to go over the plans.

Julian cleared his through to get Chris and Andrew's attention, as they seemed to be more engrossed in each other than they were in the meeting at hand. Chris turned to look at them, Andrew was still giggling, but Julian's stern look quickly got them in order, although no one noticed Andrew resting his hand on Chris' thigh the whole time.

"So this is the plan. We attack in eight weeks' time. In that time, we need to get the other cities co-ordinated. They'll play a vital role in our success or failure. November 29th is the day we attack. We start at midnight. We take out the main communications centres in each capital city to prevent them communicating what's happened. We hopefully won't need many for that, so we can call the majority of our fighters here in preparation for an all-out assault on Canberra. We take Canberra last. That's the most important city. We should make sure we hit fuel depots and military compounds to slow them down, because once they realise what's happened, they will follow us, and I'd like to have Canberra completely cut off before that happens so we can take the city without having to fight 50 million of them. When we get to Canberra, we storm Parliament House. It'll be well guarded, but hopefully, the smaller force of troops that are kept there will be easy to get rid of. Remember we're planning on sending a few missiles into Parliament first so it'll be easier to get in. Remember to save your ammo for the main fight. We'll need it. Those cops are far better equipped than us. Once inside Parliament, we storm the place and kill anyone we come across, but try to save the PM and his cronies til last. We can corner them and force them to hand the country over to us. Then kill them at the last minute," Wil said.

"But wouldn't it make more sense to kill them first and take the country that way? If we're going to kill them anyway, why wait and make them hand it over? We go in, and kill anything that lives. That's how we win," Craig said. "Why keep them alive? We can't let them have any small chance to kill us before we kill them."

_You really should learn to listen to me, you know. Didn't you hear me saying that in your head?_ Oh, shut up. You're really starting to shit me you know, now you've suddenly decided to start commenting again. _What? It wasn't right before. No one comments during torture scenes like that._ Nice to know you've got some decency, then. And stop distracting me with 'Pictures Of You'. Can we at least concentrate on one fic, please? Is that too much to ask? _Fine. But you know I'll get bored, and so will you._ But I can't just skip this part. How are my readers supposed to know what's happening if I don't bother explaining it, hmm? _They can wait and find out in the end like everyone else. Hell, we don't even know if we're going to win. We'll just strike and see what happens._ Uh huh. So you're all intent on keeping both me and my readers in the dark, huh? _That's the idea, yeah._ That'd be right, hey? Just as I get to a point where I'm getting to a really important bit, you guys decided it's too important to detail and go silent on me. I demand you all to speak! I need to know what you're planning, even if no one else does at the moment. _What, that little tidbit Wil gave you isn't enough?_ You're supposed to discuss it, not just give me three lines of dialogue and leave it at that. Bastards. Get on with it. _Go write me fucking Chris. You'll like that._ No I won't. Besides which Chris doesn't want to fuck you. _Yeah, I know he does. This little thing with Andrew is just a phase. He really wants me, you know._ Of course he does, that's why he's so intent on remaining with Andrew. Now will you shut up so I can write?

"If we go in and kill everyone without discrimination, we're as bad as they are. We want to get rid of that sort of Government, not replace it with one that's identical to it," Wil said.

"So you're actually planning for us to run the country? I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Adam said.

"Why not? We can't trust them to run the country themselves. We get rid of the PM and his corrupt Government, and run the country until we can have the people elect their own Government," Wil said.

"Yeah, how can we trust they'll even elect someone different? The great majority are still loyal to the State. That won't be easy, to get them to vote for change without restricting the candidates, which is exactly what they did before. We'd be seen as no better than the State, and old prejudices die hard," Adam said.

"So what do you propose we do then?" Wil said.

That was one question Adam couldn't answer.

"Well, unless you've got a better idea, that's the plan we stick to. Now, one new development is that we've had an offer of assistance from Japan, as well as from Indonesia. I've had some guys asking around the region, seeing if there's anyone who wants to help, preferably with supplying weapons, but manpower is also appreciated. I've given word we'll respond in a week. Japan said they can supply us with missiles and vehicles, as well as technology. Indonesia offered manpower and a safe haven if we need to flee the country should the coup fail. And yes, they know we're winged humans, so that won't be an issue. So we're starting negotiations to see what we can garner from them," Wil said.

"I'd be careful with the Indonesians. They could turn on us as easily as this Government has. Make sure to snoop around just in case they want this alliance for other reasons," Julian said.

"We're being careful with every offer of assistance, firstly so the State doesn't pick up on it, and secondly because we don't want to be betrayed again. We keep as quiet as we can so they don't know what we're planning," Wil said.

"While making sure that our pattern of behaviour remains the same, so they don't suspect anything," Adam added.

"That too," Wil said.

"When are we planning on having the other cities near-deserted so we can make ready our main assault? How long will it take to get from Perth to here? We don't have anyone in Darwin, do we?" Adam said.

"No later than a week before the attack. Give them time to regroup and prepare to attack. I've got each city working on the max number of men they'll need to take out their targets so we know how many will be left behind. I'm expecting those numbers in the next few days. We do have a small group of a couple hundred in Darwin. They've already volunteered to work with some of the northern Queensland mob to arrange for the weapons smuggling from Indonesia and West Papua. Old New Zealand is out of the question since we all remember the State invading them ten years ago and taking the country by force. God, that was a massacre. We've got the last few refugees from that war hidden here in Sydney. Everyone else was killed as they tried to get ashore all along the coast. It's any wonder they bothered coming here and didn't decide to head for all those outlying islands instead," Wil said.

"Ah, yeah, I remember that war. They killed anything that moved. New Zealand was simply outnumbered, and even though they had tried to surrender, the Australian forces had far more fun killing them instead. Talk about rivalries, hey?" Adam said.

"Yeah. And remember how only a year before the Government had so much fun campaigning for the Indonesian Armed Forces to be brought up on war crimes for what they did in West Papua and pretty much all the other provinces that dared to rebel against the Indonesian Muslim state. They were so quick to come to their aid, weren't they? Smuggling weapons to the West Papuans to help them fight, as opposed to sending troops themselves. That was what broke the few remaining diplomatic ties, especially when the Indonesians found out it was Australia sending weapons to them," Wil said.

"Stupid decision, that was. This Government loves proving it has no ability to learn from its mistakes, and that it has no qualms in pissing off every country in the region," Adam said.

"Yeah. Trying to replicate America, and look what happened to them," Wil said.

"Their 'empire' collapsed in on them. That's what you get for stretching yourself too far. They had 85% of their troops deployed overseas, and mainland America deteriorated into poverty and anarchy, neither of which look like abating any time soon, from what I've heard. What was surprising is how quickly it took to get to that stage. Most had given it thirty years, minimum," Adam said.

"Yeah, true, that really did leave a gaping hole in world powers, didn't it? They weren't too happy when China emerged as one of the most powerful nations in the world, almost surpassing America. But what could they do about it? The American era was over," Wil said.

"And now everyone hates us because we think we know what's best for every country in the region. How arrogant, especially when you look at what's happening here, within its own borders. Yes, let's go and punish countries or regimes we don't like, but let's not have other countries criticise the way we do things. You know China's been making noise about the state of our Government for a few years now. You know we're fucked up when not even China agrees with what we're doing, and we all know what they did to their people," Adam said.

"Yeah, though I doubt anyone but the Government knows about that. They like silencing anything foreign countries have to say about us. It's even harder with the web being so heavily policed. It's only online between 8am and 6pm, and then that's only the State sanctioned websites as well. Though if you know how to rig it up, you can get around the State censors and find out what's really going on in the world," Wil said.

"Yeah, we were lucky to get that organised for the haven. Otherwise, this rebellion wouldn't be possible. I've heard rumours that China are secretly planning to take action against Australia if they don't stop this oppression. How ironic would that be? China bombing the shit out of Australia in a bid to bring them democracy. Hey, that might be just the cover we need, you know. I wonder if we could goad China into invading Australia, and use their firepower to our advantage. That would free us up to attack Canberra alone while the army's busy fighting off the Chinese troops. It's risky, but it would work, you know," Adam said.

"You serious? Get China fighting for us? That would take some work. How on earth would we make them invade?" Wil said.

"We need to get a small group of refugees together, have them make their way to China, and beg the Government for help. We tell them the truth about what's really been going on, and hopefully, that'll be enough to make them want to take action. You know they don't have any idea how many of us there really are. We've got a count at around 20,000, but there could be many more halfwings masquerading as 'normal' humans. There's no way to tell exactly how many of us there are," Adam said.

"And that helps us how?" Wil said, not entirely convinced.

"Because we need to make a case strong enough for them to listen and realise it's time to act now. We need to get the truth out about what's really happening here, not just hope the State-approved line will fly. Find some of the few foreign journalists left in this country. We need footage of how things really are. We need to get this out to the world. We can't do this without them. We're going to be crushed into extinction if we don't have some sort of back up. We need their firepower. This might be the only way we can succeed," Adam said.

"How about trying to get hold of some of the State-sanctioned footage of the parades? We could always use the footage from Seb's parade as ammunition. Use the Government's own footage against them. We all know they broadcast it direct to everyone's homes. It's brutal propaganda. We could use that against them. Is there any way to get hold of that footage?" Hamish said.

"You'd have to break into the stations where they broadcast. No one has any recording devices in their homes anymore, and anyone with a video camera at the parades is usually arrested. That's the only way to get hold of the footage now," Julian said.

"They're a heinously paranoid lot, aren't they?" Hamish said.

"Big time. Anything that might let the truth out to the world is seriously clamped down on. They want to get away with everything, so the more secretive they are, and the more they prevent information getting out of the country, the safer they are. It's just like China was before the last revolution. The few foreigners that are here are under heavy surveillance to make sure they're not foreign spies leaking information out to the world. Even I have to be careful where I go. I'm certain a similar fate will be waiting for me if I get captured like Seb was. But I can't just keep silent to save my own skin. There's too much wrong with this country to just remain silent," Adam said.

"Where do they broadcast from? How much force would we need to break in there?" Hamish said.

"It'd be easier for non-winged humans to get in there simply because they don't have to worry about hiding their wings. We still haven't been able to come up with a foolproof way of hiding full wings like these. It doesn't help that they are like a third pair of limbs, so we have to be careful in not cutting off blood or oxygen, otherwise we won't be able to fly. So until that happens, we're going to be noticed, one way or another. If you don't have wings, it's easier to blend in. And you're less likely to be instantly noticed by cops. I don't want you to think I'm simply saying this to force non-winged humans to do our 'dirty work' for us. It's nothing like that. You just stand a much better chance of getting in and out without wings. Having wings like these has its disadvantages, you know," Adam said.

"Hey, it's ok, Adam, I get it. We both have our strengths and weaknesses, yeah?" Hamish said, glancing at the others gathered in the room.

"Yeah. I know just the people to get that footage for us. I've had them smuggling news in the last couple of years from the outside world. I was able to get hold of a small collection of recording devices they nicked form the State. That's been immensely useful for making our plight known and to get a handle on how the rest of the world is reacting to our descent into fascism. If the State knew what we had hidden away, we'd be killed for sure," Julian said.

"So would you organise to get hold of that footage for us, Jules? Once we have that we should try and make as many copies of it as we can and get them out to China and other countries as soon as possible. Any way of posting them online?" Adam said.

"I'm sure there's a way to get around the censors and upload them. Get it out to the wider world and all that," Wil said.

"Oh there's ways of doing that, don't worry. Get the footage. Then we'll deal with it," Julian said.

"Anything else to discuss? Or are we done here?" Hamish said, trying not to sound bored.

"I think we're done for the moment. Let me know when that footage comes in. We should try and get that out as soon as possible. They will notice the tapes are gone, so make sure we're ready for that. They know about the Glass House, but they've mostly left it alone. Taking the tapes may be the trigger that pushes them over the edge. Increase training runs. We need to be prepared for anything now. Make sure everyone's armed. Anyone who can use a weapon and fight, I want them training. Get word to the other cities to prepare as well. Make sure they know what's going on," Adam said.

* * *

Later that evening, Hamish was curled up next to Adam as he went over some papers Hamish wasn't particularly interested in. Adam had a wing wrapped around him like a blanket. Hamish loved it when Adam did that. Hey, don't you get too attached to those wings, Hamish. Adam's not keeping them. And stop pouting, Adam. I mean it. I've made my mind up. You want the wings to stay, you stay in this world.

"Are we going to be alright, Adam?" Hamish said, breaking the silence between them.

Adam set the papers aside for a moment, looking down at him. He knew what Hamish meant, didn't want to repeat his fears. "Yeah, of course we'll be ok," he said.

"You could die, you know. I could die. We could all die. Would anyone care?" Hamish said.

"A few would. I know people are going to die, on both sides. It's inevitable in a war. I hate to think about it, but I have to be realistic. If we don't give everything to this fight, we'll never win. But I don't waste time wondering who will die, because that's more than I can cope with. If we manage to come out of this alive, free and victorious, then that's the best we can hope for. I have to keep believing in that. I can't lead if everyone can see I've given up," Adam said.

"What if China invades, and we get caught up in that? We've seen what happened in other wars. Civilians are going to die. We're going to die. How can we let China invade when we know the cost? This isn't going to be a fair fight. How do we know they'll support and protect us? Will they end up turning on us, just like our own people have? Are we doomed to be hunted down by everyone who's in power?" Hamish said, almost forgetting for a moment that he doesn't have wings.

"We won't know. War is chaos. China has the military strength of numbers to completely overwhelm us. They can bomb every capital city, send their troops in and destroy everything. All the Army can do in defence is try and keep them at bay, especially when they learn China's supporting us. When I get into talks with them, I want to negotiate for us to take Canberra. They can do what they must, but I want us to take Canberra. It's not right for us to let China fight our own war for us. If necessary, we wait until China invades to get weapons from them. But we destroy Parliament House and kill anyone we find, because there's no other way to survive. If we don't kill, we die. That's just how this world works," Adam said.

"So what happens if we win? Do we take over running the country? Or are we to rely on democracy being installed just like it was in the Middle East? Can we really count on the people to forgive us for this and do what's right for the country?" Hamish said.

"God, you're cynical tonight, aren't you?" Adam said.

"Sorry. Am I being too depressing? It's just I can't help thinking about this stuff. It's one thing to fight back and win, but what happens afterwards? You remember how long it took to get Iraq and Afghanistan back to some semblance of normalcy, and just leave them to run their own country. What if this takes just as long? Can we count on China to really keep things in order? Or will they just take over and replace one fascist regime with another? Will this cause civil war? Will our country ever belong to us again? Will the people ever forgive us for starting this?" Hamish said.

"As I said, we won't know any of this til it begins. Though you're right. This won't be over in a few weeks. This will take a long time, depending on how the people take to the chaos. We may have to get used to Chinese occupation for several years before we settle down again and can function on our own again. There's a lot of ingrained stuff we need to get out of peoples' heads before we can even come to resemble the society we were before. That won't happen overnight. If anyone believes this will be easy, they're sorely mistaken. Getting rid of the Government is just the catalyst for change, the first step in a long process. We have to take that first step if we want anything to change around here. Now enough of this talk. Don't trouble yourself with this. You'll drive yourself mad with worry if you do, and I need your support right now. I'm responsible for everyone who's fighting for us. I have enough to worry about without having you go crazy on me as well. Cheer up, alright? Give me a smile," Adam said.

Hamish managed a weak smile, but couldn't help taking hope from Adam. There was a fire in his eyes, a determination that Hamish picked up on. With Adam, it was so easy to believe they would win. Hamish could forget his worries and relax if Adam kept believing they'd win. He hated that he was so constantly troubled by this, but he figured he was just taking some of Adam's worries for him. It wasn't helping him sleep though, and he wasn't sure Adam had noticed he hadn't been sleeping well. Maybe he'd worked it out after seeing him napping earlier in the day.

"We'll be alright, you know. Whatever happens, we'll make it. Do I need to be the one bringing you some comfort, hey?" Adam said, practically reading Hamish's mind.

"Sorry. I don't know how you do it," Hamish said.

"Do what?" Adam said.

"Stay so fucking calm all the time. How do you manage to stay sane?" Hamish said, sitting up to be level with him.

"Some days I'm not sure myself. But, the meditation helps. I can't afford to get carried away with worries. I need to stay sane, for everyone's sake," Adam said.

"Teach me. You said you would ages ago," Hamish said, looking hopeful.

"I don't know if I have time for that right now," Adam said.

"You know you'll be less worried if you know I'm not worried about things," Hamish said, trying to convince him to agree.

"True, true. Alright then. Come with me," Adam said, getting off the bed. Adam grabbed the shinza as a last minute thought and headed out to the corridor, waiting for Hamish to catch up.

* * *

Hamish followed Adam curiously through the cold dark building until they stopped outside a plain looking door. Adam opened the door and flicked on the light. Hamish followed him inside, closing the door behind him. Hamish stood back as Adam approached what looked like a shrine. There was black and red everywhere. Hamish watched Adam place the shinza on top of a beautifully made table, kneeling before it as he bowed his head. Hamish assumed he was praying, though to whom he didn't know. Hamish watched him light some incense and set it to burn on the small ledge below the shrine. It was a scent Hamish couldn't identify, but it was a nice scent.

"Kneel beside me. Name yourself before the shrine," Adam said without turning to look at him.

Hamish hesitated a bit, not really knowing what to do.

"Just do what I did," Adam said, without Hamish having to ask.

At that, Hamish knelt beside Adam, giving him a quick glance before copying his pose. He closed his eyes, and suddenly, he felt like he was somewhere else.

'We meet at last,' said Seb's voice in his head.

'Seb? Is that you?' Hamish said, thinking the words.

'The one my Anael would die for,' Seb said.

'Who? Me?' Hamish said.

'There is no one else here,' Seb said.

Seb, stop sounding like Aslan. Or Teal'C. Or whoever it is you're channelling. Just stop it.

'Why do you say he'd die for me?' Hamish said.

'Because he would,' Seb said simply.

'What are you trying to say?' Hamish said.

'Nothing that doesn't need to be said,' Seb said.

'Will you ever stop talking in riddles?' Hamish said, annoyed at Seb's constant cryptic words.

'To speak the truth is most important,' Seb said. 'The Author is doing her best to translate.'

Hey, don't blame this on me, Seb, darling. Yes, I'm making you hear my thoughts. Quit it. I don't think you have time for riddles. Whatever it is you want to say to Hamish, just out and say it. And don't try and pass it off as word padding. I think that's a bit irrelevant now.

'As you wish, my dear authoress,' Seb said.

Quit with the charm. Get on with it. And no, that doesn't need a reply.

'I'm still here, you know,' Hamish said. 'What the hell did you want to tell me?'

'Death is strong in the air. I can smell it. You have little time to sit around playing. Words must be vanquished in favour of action. Do not abandon my Anael. Together you will reign victorious,' Seb said in his usual cryptic way.

'Uh, thanks, I think,' Hamish said.

'Wake. I must speak with my Anael alone,' Seb said.

Hamish found himself pulled back into consciousness. When his eyes opened, he found himself lying in Adam's arms, staring up at him.

"Ok, what just happened?" Hamish said.

"You alright? I saw you close your eyes then you just keeled over. You remember anything?" Adam said, looking concerned.

"A voice… In my head… Talking… Talking nonsense… Fuck, I feel dizzy," Hamish said, pieces of memory vaguely correlating in his mind.

"It's ok. Just lie here. You'll be fine. Was it Seb? I think that happened to me the first time he met me in meditation," Adam said.

"Yeah, might've been him. Don't really remember what he said… Something about… fucked if I know," Hamish said.

"Yeah, that sounds like him. Never said anything in plain English if he can help it," Adam said with a small laugh. "Just lie here until you feel better. The dizziness will wear off soon enough."

"Thanks. I don't suppose there's-"

"Have some water. I keep it in shrine for instances such as this. Head hurting much?" Adam said, helping Hamish sit up before pouring him a glass of water.

"Oh, fuck. Yeah. Just a bit. Does he do this a lot?" Hamish said, pressing a palm against his temple in a bit to make the ache go away.

"Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting him to visit you so soon. I thought he'd wait til I'd at least taught you the basics," Adam said.

"Yeah, well, tell him to leave me alone for a while. I'm not used to being visited by dead guys," Hamish said, sipping the water slowly as the ache in his head gradually lessened.

"Sorry, but you did want to learn meditation," Adam said.

"That wasn't meditation, that was my brain being hijacked by a dead guy!" Hamish said, mocking hysteria.

"I can't help it if this room has that effect on people. I think Seb lives here now. That must be why it happened so quickly. I'll have to tell him to hold back for a bit. You feeling any better?" Adam said.

"A little, yeah. Could we get out of here? I think I need to lie down for a while. Feeling sleepy and dizzy still," Hamish said.

"Sure. Come on then," Adam said, helping Hamish to his feet.

Hamish leant heavily against Adam as they made their way back to their room. Adam lay him down on the bed and cuddled up next to him. Adam contented himself with silence as he gently stroked Hamish's hair, trying to lull him into sleep. It'd probably do him some good. He lay there and watched him sleep, his thoughts drifting off to Seb once more.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam remembers Seb, Wil and Tim want to play and Adam wants in, and Jules and Chas have some much needed playtime.

After a while, Adam got up and turned the old TV on. He'd heard that Tango was on, and he wanted to catch it as a tribute to Seb, who'd first introduced him to this movie. He turned the sound down enough not to wake Hamish and settled back to watch it. Adam had watched Tango many times before. It was one of the first movies he'd watched with Seb, and because of what they did afterwards, it would always be somewhat of a turn-on for him.

This was back when SBS was still a legitimate TV station before it was forced underground when the Government went on a spree banning things that refused to broadcast in English. SBS failed on two fronts, as a lot of their foreign language films and programmes were considered filth on top of their mostly foreign language programmes. Someone obviously knew they were going to be in trouble before the station was raided, as most of their programmes and staff managed to vanish before the military police stormed their buildings. Thus it was no surprise to Adam that the station had reinvented itself and could be watched if you had a tuner that blocked out the Government's interference. It was helpful for watching all sorts of stations that the Government deemed to be offensive.

Even those still loyal to the ABC who had left in protest when the Government took over and turned it into its own official propaganda service were hiding underground and producing their own ABC channel, refusing to let it die and be raped by the State and its tyranny. The State had constantly failed to realise just how loyal its citizens were to the ABC, and had they not been so subjugated, the protests would've been much greater than the few hundreds who took to the streets in defiance of protest bans to have their voices heard. Those that had escaped had disappeared. Everyone else was either dead or in prison. Aunty was but a poor cousin of what she once was, and few were left who shed tears for her. It was the end of independent opinion. Once she went, there was no one strong enough to resist any longer. They fell into line or vanished without a trace.

Adam's favourite scene was the black and white tango, as he called it. The stage was spilt in half, one side black, one side white. The male dancers were split into two groups, one wearing white, one wearing black, lining up on either side of the stage, the white dancers on the black side, the black dancers on the white side. Each side traded blows, so to speak, until they charged at each other, both sides mixing together as their respective leaders paired up for a show-down. They danced beautifully, dancing tango together, both vying for dominance, until they came to a halt, neither able to topple the other. It was almost erotic to watch the dynamic between them. Adam had to admit some of them were rather attractive.

Adam smiled as that scene came on, remembering how Seb had described it.

"Two sides, they seem different on the surface, but are just the same on the inside," Seb had said.

Adam was never sure that's what it really meant, but it was a rather cynical interpretation of what was a beautiful scene. Adam quite liked it. At least he saw it more optimistically as a metaphor for unity as opposed to Seb's meaning.

Adam had always found it poetic, and sort of aptly appropriate. He also liked how there wasn't an ending, not really. Adam wasn't quite sure what it was, but it wasn't an ending, not a proper ending that tied up all the loose ends. As the movie played before him, he found himself thinking about the first time he'd watched it with Seb all those years ago. The movie was almost 30 years old by now, but it didn't look like it had aged a bit.

* * *

_14th August, 2006._

_Adam was curled up against Seb as they watched Tango, or Tango, no me dejes nunca, as its full name was. They were at Adam's. It was getting late, nearly midnight, and Adam had work in the morning, but he didn't care right then. Seb had told him about this movie ages ago, said it was one of his favourites. Adam had to admit he'd never been that keen on foreign movies, but Seb was determined to educate him in all sorts of ways, and Adam was loathe to stop him._

_Adam watched the dancing, becoming rather engrossed in the story as it progressed. He had to admit the dancing was stunning. Seb was whispering to him as his fingers traced patterns over Adam's chest. Adam loved the way Seb kept a strong arm around his shoulders, making him feel safe. Every now and then, Seb's wing would brush against his arm, sending shivers down Adam's spine. It was this slow, minimal teasing that drove Adam crazy, so by the time the movie was over, Adam was well ready for some action. Adam remembered distantly that Seb had once described it as lubing him up._

_Seb had surprised Adam that night. Adam found himself pulled to his feet and into the bedroom, where Seb had laid out some interesting looking toys for them to play with. Adam swallowed, wondering how Seb had known about his desires so accurately. Seb stripped him, pressed him against the wall as he attached a set of leather cuffs to his wrists. The collar that followed sent shivers down his spine again. Seb even had something he used to secure Adam's wings against his back so he couldn't move them._

_Adam found his hands raised above his head, attached to a ring in the ceiling he hadn't ever noticed before. Adam wondered if Seb was going to whip him. He had to admit being scared about that. His wings didn't help, being so bound against his back as they were. Seb wouldn't beat his wings, would he?_

_What Seb had in mind was far more agonising that that. Having Adam's legs held apart with a thick metal bar – attached to cuffs that were secured to his ankles, as Seb was kind enough to let Adam keep his foot on for the moment, Seb saw fit to blindfold him and spent a good hour teasing him some more, using his wings, what Adam thought was a riding crop, rope, and probably a lot of other things he couldn't quite remember or identify._

_And then Adam found himself thrown onto the bed, lying on his stomach, as Seb perched over him, pressing him into the bed. By the time Seb finally got around to the sex, Adam was about to scream in frustration, and Seb, always the tease, didn't make it last nearly long enough to satisfy, leaving him desperate for more. Perhaps that's how he kept making him come back, by leaving him hanging and desperate for more in both a sexual and an intellectual sense._

* * *

Looking back on it now, Adam begins to wonder if Seb saw him as anything other than a pet to be trained and brought up and played with until it was capable of looking after itself. He scolded himself for thinking of such things. He knew full well Seb never thought of him that way. His thinking was all over the place now, especially since Seb had gone.

Watching Tango had had the same effect on him as it always did, and had Hamish not been sleeping peacefully, Adam would be mauling him right now. But Adam wasn't so cruel as to wake him just for sex. He did need his sleep, and he looked so beautiful asleep. He would have to go see if anyone else was around to deal with his needs. He wouldn't force anyone though, but maybe Wil would be up for it.

With a glance over at Hamish's sleeping form, Adam got up and turned the TV off. He went to go find Wil. He'd be able to look after his desires, at least for the moment. But he got a surprise when he found not Wil waiting for him, but Tim.

"What might you be after in here, hey?" Tim said.

"We both know what's in there," Adam said. "Wil about?"

"What do you think I'm doing out here?" Tim said.

"Oh, is that the sort of mood you're in?" Adam said with a smirk.

"Of course. You sure you're ready for this? Because I don't want to rush you. If you're not 100% ready, fuck off and don't come to me until you are," Tim said.

"I am ready. It'll be alright. We've done this plenty of times before," Adam said.

"Not since Seb died. I fucking know how much that affected you. Are you seriously trying to tell me you're ready to be beaten so soon after that?" Tim said.

"I'll be fine, Tim. I can handle it," Adam said.

"I have power of veto here. Do remember that. Part of my responsibility is your mental wellbeing, and I'm not convinced you're in the right state of mind yet," Tim said.

"Can I just fuck you then?" Adam said, changing tactics.

"Isn't that what you have Hamish for?" Tim shot.

"He's sleeping, and I need sex now," Adam said.

"Christ, you're an impatient bastard," Tim said. He thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll let you play, but there'll be no pain, no beatings, nothing kinky. I don't think you're ready for that yet. Go on, go strip and find Wil."

"Thanks, love. I knew you'd agree eventually," Adam said.

He shot Tim a grin before ducking inside the room. Tim made sure no one else was around and shut the door behind him.

"I worry about you, Adam. Don't you go crazy on me," Tim murmured.

The room they were in was dark and featureless. It was designed that way. The light coming in from the tiny windows made the room seem cold and dank, and the walls, floor and ceiling were like some dark plain box. It was nothing short of a bondage dungeon-cum-interrogation room, built to be intimidating and cold.

Tim watched as Adam did as he was told, pulling his clothes off and throwing them in a pile with Wil's before coming to stand beside him. Wil had his head bowed. He was still in submissive mode. Tim approached them and lifted Wil's chin up.

"Yes, sir?" Wil murmured, surprised at the affection.

"No Master today. Adam's not ready. We'll go play next door," Tim said.

"Fair enough. But could you lock me in my cage while I watch you two play? I think I need some cage time," Wil said.

"Don't, Wil, I want you too. Please," Adam said, taking his hand as he looked across at him.

"Adam, I haven't been caged for over a week. You know how I get when I don't get caged," Wil said.

"Can I at least fuck you first?" Adam said.

"Alright. Just make it hard. It's nearly that time again, and I need the pain," Wil said.

"I'll do my best," Adam said.

"Come on, boys. Enough chatter," Tim said.

Tim took them both by the hand and led them into a smaller room hidden behind a door with a St Andrew's Cross attached to it that they sometimes used. This was where they played when they didn't want anything hardcore. There was carpet, and a softer light to this room than the last one, and a bed for times when all one wanted was to lightly tie someone up and fuck them senseless.

Wil broke ahead and clambered onto the bed. He was eager to get started, and Adam followed. Tim stood back and watched them together on the bed as Wil grabbed Adam close to him.

Adam spent little time on foreplay. Wil wasn't interested in it anyway. Soon, Adam was pinning Wil down as he fucked him hard, bruising his shoulders as he pressed him into the bed.

Tim thought about joining in, but decided against it. He'd wait until Adam was done with him and he could cage him. There was a cage in this room as well, in one corner, for such purposes. Tim wasn't quite sure why Wil liked the caging so much, but it did make him less recklessly aggressive, so he figured it had some use. Wil never really talked about why he liked it, just that it helped calm him and his restless mind. Tim wondered if he'd suffered some sort of trauma earlier on that necessitated this behaviour now.

It was true that every fullwing had deep scars and traumas buried in their minds, even if they never discussed them. Their lives were never easy to lead, and that they stood out so easily meant they were easy targets for abuse and mistreatment. Plus, you just had to clip their wings and they'd be grounded for weeks. They were never designed to be anything other than short-lived expendable soldiers, and some fullwings had adjusted to non-military life much better than others.

Tim was also aware a lot of fullwings needed kink to get off during sex. He had spent many a night pondering his desires and why he loved Wil and Adam subbing to him. He still didn't have an answer. Tim had been lucky to avoid most of the constant abuse some other fullwings had suffered. Maybe it was compassion that made him want to look after them both. Christ knows they both needed it. Fullwings never talked about their pasts though. None of them really knew how to deal with their experiences, and with no one willing to help, Tim was sure life was slowly driving them all mad. Perhaps that's why they never lived to see 50.

For Wil, though he never said so, it seemed the caging was a safe space for him, like a mother's womb. He needed a few hours in there every week, or he became difficult to handle. Tim didn't mind. It didn't seem to hurt anyone, and Wil was always better because of it, so he didn't bother to ask questions. Maybe one day Wil would tell him why he needed it, but until then, Tim would remain in the dark.

"Tim? Timmy? You still with us, mate?"

Wil's calling broke Tim out of his thoughts. "Oh yeah, sorry. I'm still here. You two done now?"

"Yeah, cage time. Unless you wanna fuck me hard as well," Wil said.

"No, I think it's time we caged you. Come on," Tim said.

Wil beamed a smile at him as he climbed off the bed and crawled over to the cage in the corner. Tim knelt by it as he let Wil into the cage, securing him inside before locking the door and standing up again.

"So, now it's just you and me. Anything you're after?" Tim said.

"Well, you could come here and snuggle if you wanted, for a start," Adam said, beckoning Tim towards the bed.

Tim smirked and joined him, bringing the fullwing into his arms as they lay on the bed. Adam was suddenly affectionate, having dealt with his most of his desire. Tim let his wings drape over them both as a makeshift blanket as they both lay there naked.

"Do you really think I can lead them all, Tim? Am I the right person to lead them?" Adam said.

"Seb chose you, didn't he? Do you doubt his decision?" Tim said.

"I don't doubt his decision, no. Well, yes, maybe a little. I just thought that by the time I would have to lead, he'd still be here. I feel like no one's got my back anymore. I'm being stupid, aren't I?" Adam said.

"We're all behind you, Adam, you know that. Everyone's endorsed you. Seb gave you his sword. Not me, not Wil, not Jules, but you. He wants you to lead us," Tim said.

"I suppose I just thought he'd be there to share our victory with us. He'd be standing there with us as we bring peace to the land. Now, it won't happen. It'll just be us. Seb's gone. He's fucking gone. What the hell are we going to do?" Adam said. He could feel that lingering grief creeping up on him again. He fought it back, not wanting to fall to pieces in front of them.

"We keep fighting. To stop now would be an insult to everything Seb stood for," Tim said.

"I suppose so. I'm already feeling guilty about everyone who's going to die when we begin the rebellion. How can I lead them out when I know they're not all going to survive?" Adam said.

"You suffer from a bad case of caring too much. We're soldiers, fighting a war against our oppressors. Yes, people are going to die. There's nothing you can do about that. Worry about things that you can do something about," Tim said.

"My, you are an angel, aren't you?" Adam said, smiling up at him as he cupped his cheek.

"Please. I'm no angel, and neither are you. Remember why we're fighting. We need to be free. This whole damn country needs to be free. I think you need a damn good fucking to take your mind off things, at least for a moment," Tim said, trailing his fingers down Adam's side towards his navel.

"Hmm, I think you might be right there," Adam said, cheering right up as soon as Tim began teasing him.

Adam pulled him into a gentle kiss as Tim rolled them over, allowing Adam to shift so his wings weren't being crushed. Their kisses intensified as Adam's desire grew. Tim was always good for distracting him when he needed it most. Adam found his hands reaching for Tim's wings and gently stroking down the bone, watching Tim shiver with pleasure at the sensation.

"Fuck. Is that the sort of mood you're in?" Tim said, inhaling sharply.

"You haven't let me play with your wings for ages, and you, unlike Craig, aren't going to bite my head off if I even dare to touch your wings," Adam said with a smirk. _Shut it, Adam. I'm not that bad._ Uh, yes you are. You can shut the fuck up too.

"I can make him relent. Why doesn't he give in to you?" Tim murmured against his skin.

"Because he hates me?" Adam said.

"You don't know the magic trick for making Craig let you touch his wings. You should hear him beg for it. Hottest thing ever. I'll have to show you some time," Tim said.

"I'll hold you to that," Adam said. "Now can we quit talking about Craig and get on with fucking?"

Tim chuckled and bit down on Adam's neck, making him yelp. Adam responded by grabbing Tim's shoulder and wrestling him, trying to reverse their positions. Tim wasn't having a bar of it, and soon Adam was the one pinned down as Tim got ready to fuck him.

"Gods, Tim, hurry up," Adam growled as Tim slowly pushed forward.

Tim grinned and slowed down, taking his time pushing all the way in. Adam growled in frustration, his dick growing harder the further Tim went.

Tim didn't hurry, enjoying the sheer pleasure that came from Adam's desperation. He was only going to go for the hard fuck when Adam was properly prepared, and he wasn't needy enough yet. He loved the sensations that came from thrusting as slowly as he was. He forced himself to keep his pace until the time was right. Adam squirmed underneath him, urging him to hurry up.

* * *

Julian wasn't working for once. Chas had convinced him to give it a rest, at least for one night. Spurred on by the possibilities for a night off, Julian had dragged Chassy away for play time. It wasn't often Julian stopped long enough to properly relax, and Chas was keen to make sure he did. That was how Julian found himself lying on his back on his bed, Chassy lying on top of him, giggling every time he kissed him.

"Jules works too hard," Chas whined as he licked his face affectionately.

"That's because I've got a lot of work to do," Julian said.

"More work means less play time. Seriously, when was the last time we spent an evening together?" Chas said.

"Oh, I'm sure it wasn't that long ago," Julian began.

"You wouldn't say that if you remembered. I mean, I like being with you at work, but sometimes I want it to be just us, like this, you know?" Chas said.

"I wish we lived in a world where that kind of thing really matters. It's just not possible, Chas. There's far too much work to do and not enough time to do it in. Can't you understand that?" Julian said.

"Shh. Jules be quiet now. No more work talk. It's play time now," Chas said, pressing a finger to Julian's lips to silence him.

Julian just smiled at him before that finger pried its way into Julian's mouth. There was a groan of appreciation from both of them. The sight of his fingers in Julian's mouth was doing all sorts of things to Chas. Julian's eagerness was enthralling, so much so that Chas decided they both needed to be naked.

Chas sat up as he pulled Julian into a kiss, drinking in this moment of intimacy. Julian held him tightly. He was just discovering how much he had missed this. He suddenly wanted to pin Chas down and have his way with him. Before he could act, Chas decided he was going to run things tonight.

"It's my turn, Jules, since you've been neglecting me for so long," Chas said as he grabbed Julian's wrists.

"And what will that entail?" Julian asked, too curious to give up now.

"It'll involve you doing what I tell you to do, Jules, that's what. Now, hand me some cuffs. You know how much I love you in cuffs," Chas said as he straddled Julian's hips.

Julian smiled and obeyed, leaning over to fish the cuffs out of the second drawer, where the rest of their toys lived. Julian meekly offered his wrists to Chas knowing all this would be worth it in the end, even though he wasn't the one in charge for once.

The cool metal clicked shut, and Julian was trapped. In any other circumstances, this would not be arousing in the slightest, but Chas' presence made all the difference. Cuffs were only arousing when Chas was the one holding him captive.

"One more thing, I think," Chas said as he slipped off the bed and rummaged around in their closet for a collar. He found the one he was after and climbed back on the bed again.

Julian merely whimpered with need as he saw the leather collar in Chassy's hands. There was something Julian adored about being subjugated like this. He never let it happen too often though; he didn't want to make a habit of it, and Chas did rather enjoy being his puppy.

Chas leaned in close as he secured the collar around his neck, whispering what he was going to do to him in his ear as he did so. It sent shivers down Julian's spine. Chas was getting very good at talking dirty.

Satisfied, Chas got to work, pinning Julian's shoulders down as he bit Julian's neck, slipping his tongue underneath the collar for added teasing. Julian closed his eyes and leant back, letting Chas have his way.

Chas noticed his closed eyes, and decided a surprise blindfold was in order. Leaving Julian lying there, Chas went to look for something to use as a blindfold. He could use the one in the second drawer, but he wanted something else. Something different. He found what he wanted in one of the boxes in the closet. One of Julian's scarfs. It was made of silk, and was given to him as a present a couple of years earlier. Chas had quite adored it when he'd caught sight of it and thought it suited Julian perfectly.

Chas clambered back onto the bed again, smirk crossing his face as he saw Julian looking at him, wondering what was about to happen.

"Oh, is that-?" Julian started.

"Shh. It's a blindfold. Well, it's your scarf, but we're making it into a blindfold. Because I want you to really lose yourself tonight. I think you really need it. You're all tense and grouchy, and I don't like grouchy Jules," Chas said.

"Have I been grouchy?" Julian said, surprised.

"Yes, yes you have. You get grouchy when you're tense, and you're always tense when you're worrying about the rebellion. You need to let go and relax every now and then," Chas said.

"Oh, right. I didn't realise," Julian said.

"Well, now you know. I do notice these things. Now, shut up and let me blindfold you," Chas said.

"Yes, sir," Julian said.

Chas lifted up Julian's head as he tied the scarf around it, making sure it was thick enough to cut out any light. Chas finished with a kiss to Julian's lips, loving the wanton cries Julian couldn't help giving him.

Chas turned Julian over onto his back and proceeded to leave bite marks all over it. That is, until he reached the two small scars near his shoulder blades. Chas licked each slowly, feeling for Julian's reaction. Chas had a suspicion there were nerves near those scars that he decided he should investigate to see if they did what he thought they might do.

Julian groaned and shivered at the sensation. Chas had never touched those scars before, but Julian was quite wiling to let him if they kept doing that.

"Did that feel good, Jules?" Chas murmured against his neck.

"Christ, yes. Do that again," Julian begged.

Chas didn't answer. He worked his way down Julian's back again and licked the scars, watching for Julian's reaction. Julian whimpered pathetically, as if he'd never felt anything like it before. Chas was pleased with this discovery. He licked them once more for good measure before continuing down his body towards his arse.

Blindfolded and cuffed, Julian could do nothing as Chas teased him, nor did he want to. He could feel the stress melting away as his arousal grew. It really had been far too long since he'd done this. He'd have to schedule in a few more nights like this.

By the time Chas was ready to fuck him, Julian was pleasantly exhausted and totally wired. He was whimpering pathetically again, much to Chas' pleasure. The blindfold had heightened his senses. Everything felt so much more intense than he thought possible.

Chas pressed against him as they fucked was the height of pleasure. Julian could've sworn they were one person, with Chas' voice in his ear and his arms around him. Julian definitely wanted this to happen more often. He would make sure of it.

Lying together afterwards, Chas rested his head on Julian's chest, listening to his heart beat. There was the faint droning of planes in the sky, as if threatening to discover their hideout right at that very moment, called by their love.

"Are they supposed to be patrolling this close to us? I've never heard them around at this time of night," Chas whispered.

"I don't know. It is unusual. Maybe there's something going on," Julian said.

A series of explosions followed, and there was no doubting what they were. Julian knew the sound of tanks shelling buildings all too well.

"I think something's going on. I wonder what they're shelling?" Julian said.

"Jules, it's fucking close, whatever it is. Are we in trouble?" Chas whispered.

"I don't know. I don't think so. It's too far away to be them targeting us. Don't worry about it," Julian said, sounding braver than he felt as another explosion rang through the air.

Chas didn't say a word. Julian held him tightly, the sudden fear triggering his instinctive need to protect his puppy. The shelling reminded them both that they did not live in a country where they were free to do as they pleased. War was coming, and soon. They would need to be prepared.

* * *

Adam got his hard fucking in the end. He was tired and aching, but felt all the better for it. Tim had drawn out the proceedings long enough that by the time they were done, Wil was begging to be let out of his cage. Together, the three of them lay in each other's arms on the bed. There was an instinctive need to be close now that the sex was out of the way.

"I love you guys," Adam murmured.

"Love you too, mate," Wil said, half-asleep.

"Can we get under the blankets? I'm getting cold," Tim said.

Adam and Wil both giggled. "Way to spoil the mood, Minchin," Adam scolded.

"Oh, sorry. But can we? This warehouse is fucking freezing," Tim said.

"I suppose he does have a point, Adam," Wil said.

"So get in bed then and quick bitching about it," Adam said.

Wil gave Adam a quick kiss in response before lifting up the doona and crawling underneath it. Tim and Adam soon followed, and then they had more than just their wings for warmth. Adam found himself in the middle, with Wil and Tim curled up beside him, leaning their heads on his chest. He pondered more conversation, but really, why spoil the mood? They were all in need of sleep anyway.

Adam tried to sleep, but he couldn't quiet his mind. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, while Wil and Tim slept on, those insidious worries plaguing his thoughts again.

He listened to the shelling in the distance, reminding him that life was not all sex and cages. The earth was trembling from the explosions. It occurred to him that if they were attacked out of nowhere, right then, most of them wouldn't survive. That scared him more than anything. He was responsible for everyone there. Every death was his fault.

It was the sound of a plane flying very close overhead that made Adam want to hide in the covers and pray desperately that no one would pay any attention to their warehouse. After a second pass, the plane flew off and could be heard no more. Adam tried to relax after that, holding his two sleeping friends close in a bid to stave off his worry.

"Adam, will you fucking go to sleep already?" Wil whispered as he grabbed his hand under the doona. The shelling had woken him enough to know that Adam was still awake.

"Can't relax. I can't believe I'm living in Australia. There's fucking shelling out there. We're living in a war zone. None of this helps me sleep," Adam murmured.

"Shh. You need to sleep. Shut off that brain of yours and rest," Wil said, bringing him into a gentle kiss.

"I'll sing to you if that'd help," Tim whispered, their slight activity pulling him out of his light slumber.

"Thanks, but you don't have to. Maybe I should go and leave you two to sleep," Adam said.

"Nah, I like sleeping against you. I don't want to lose my pillow just yet," Wil said.

"Try meditating. Maybe that would calm your mind long enough," Tim suggested.

"I think what I need is for that fucking shelling to stop. I can't sleep when such a threat is so close to us," Adam said.

"Poor baby. Just try and sleep. The shelling isn't getting closer; if anything, I'd suggest it's moving away from us," Wil said.

"I won't be able to sleep tonight. All I can think about is getting ready to fight or flee, should they come here. I might go and check on Hamish. I've got things to be doing anyway. You stay here and sleep," Adam said, sitting up.

Wil and Tim moved close together as Adam left the bed and dressed silently. Neither protested his decision. He could go for a week without sleep if necessary, but it was exhausting, and it ruined your reflexes. If you didn't sleep, you went mad. They both understood his reasons though. Once you were in fight or flight mode, you couldn't relax until you were certain the threat was gone. Some fullwings slipped into this mindset quicker than others, and Adam's awareness of his responsibility to all the rebels under his care would most certainly trigger that for the slightest threat of discovery.

Wil brought Tim into his arms as they snuggled back under the doona again. Adam crawled onto the bed and kissed them both.

"Sleep well," Adam murmured as he lulled them back to sleep.

He gave them both another quick kiss before leaving them alone, heading off to check on Hamish. The shelling was getting quieter, but all Adam could think of was retreat and surprise attack. No wonder he couldn't sleep. He was already making emergency plans to evacuate the warehouse if an attack came. He needed to be prepared. No one would die without reason while he was in charge.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Army escalate their activities in their war against the rebels, Ruby and Andy do what they can to help the people left behind, and Craig and Chas fight before Craig flies off in a huff to go rescue Caleb.

It was mid-afternoon before Ruby let them set off again. They were clearly taking a long detour to get where they needed to go to avoid detection, especially with the Army around attacking restricted zones and destroying warehouses, increasing their chances of detection. Andy wondered where they were heading. He knew the locations of all the restricted zones in the state, it was part of his job, and there were only a few they could be heading to now. With Ruby refusing to tell him where they were going, Andy would just have to wait and see where they ended up.

They stopped at sunset when they heard foot patrols getting closer. Ruby pulled them both into the surrounding bushland, silencing everyone with a wave of her hand as they watched the soldiers pass by.

Andy watched them. He recognised a few of his mates, driving by on tanks and trucks as they surveyed the suburbs. One of his mates looked directly at him, sending shivers down Andy's spine. Andy wondered if he could see him or not. He wanted to go out and meet him, he'd served with him for years, but he was frozen to the ground, unable to move.

The patrol stopped just in front of where they were hiding. Leaving the tanks still manned, every spare soldier was sent to check houses. They were looking for someone, or someones. Andy wondered who they were looking for. Were they still looking for Hamish?

"We must stay until they go. Otherwise they will see us. This is an unwelcomed obstacle. They will hold us up for some time. Be silent and still, and do not move," Ruby cautioned, voice almost silent.

Andy swallowed and nodded his agreement, not trusting himself enough to speak.

After some time, the soldiers appeared again, dragging some struggling men with them that they'd clearly taken from their houses. Andy wondered what they'd done wrong. He could almost make out tiny wings on a couple of them, though the others seemed to be human. He recognised none of them, though if they were rounding up halfwings, they were in serious trouble.

"They're all halfwings, aren't they? They've turned on them now. They must be checking IDs for halfwings impersonating humans. I'd heard rumours that they were going to do this for months, but I thought it was just an empty threat. So many people will be in trouble now. They were going to set up prison camps for them as well. I really don't like where this is going, not at all," Andy murmured as he watched the soldiers dragging people out of their houses and into the back of trucks.

"Best you disappear then. You do not want to be caught up in such a thing. You are too close to the rebellion to be safe now. They would surely have turned on you had you stayed behind since your friend got in trouble," Ruby murmured back.

"I was warned to watch my back, yeah. Maybe this is for the best." Andy couldn't disagree with her.

"Hush now. They are getting too close," Ruby warned.

Silence fell over them again as they watched the trucks driving off, filled with halfwings destined for prison camps. It made Andy's stomach sick to watch such a thing. He hated that he'd served for so long. He would never have had the stomach to do such work. It was akin to genocide, and Andy was glad he would have no part in it.

It was an hour before they finally left, leaving distressed family members running into the streets after them, wanting their loved ones back. The soldiers shot at them as they left, wanting to disperse the crowd of mourning people. Those shot were left lying in the streets bleeding. It only made things so much worse. The Army returning fire on its own people left a bad taste in Andy's mouth.

"We have to help them, Ruby. They're dying out there. I can't just leave them there," Andy said once Ruby had released the barrier between them and the soldiers.

"We have no choice. What can we do? We are but two people, with two horses. What can we offer them?" Ruby said.

"I can treat them. We were taught basic first aid as part of our training. I can at least stop them having any more grief than they already have," Andy said.

"Alright, we will help them. You have too much compassion for a soldier," Ruby said.

Leaving the bush, they led their horses into the streets. They left them tied to the side of the road as they approached the wounded and their families.

"Go see if you can get me medical supplies. I'll see how badly injured they all are," Andy said.

Ruby nodded and headed off. Andy knelt beside the first one he came to, a child of no more than 12, shot twice. His mother knelt over him, cradling him in her arms.

"How is he?" Andy said, seeing the bleeding wounds in his stomach and his leg.

"He's dying! What do you think? Fucking soldiers shot him, didn't they?" the boy's mother said, and Andy didn't blame her for being hysterical.

"I know, I saw them. I'm ashamed to say I was in the Army, seeing what they did today. Such brutality. I'll do my best to help the people here. It's the least I can do," Andy said.

"At least some people still have compassion," the mother said.

"I know, it's a rare thing in this world," Andy said.

The mother smiled as Andy got to work, ripping off strips of his clothes to use as makeshift bandages until Ruby got back with proper bandages.

"Did they take someone from your family?" Andy said as he worked.

"My husband. He'd never hurt anyone, just got on with his life, made sure we were never starving. He'd never been in trouble, and yet they ripped him away from us as if he was some sort of mass-murderer or something. What will we do now? I can't work, I have four children to look after. We'll lose everything," the mother said.

"You're not the only one sick of this tyranny. No one's better off but the rich and privileged few. Everyone else has to scavenge for leftovers. Come on, let's get him out of here and somewhere sheltered," Andy said as he finished with the boy's wounds.

Andy picked up the boy in his arms and carried him towards the closest house, the mother close behind him. The houses closest to the wounded were being very quickly set up as hospitals, or at least shelters for the wounded, as everyone dealt with the aftermath of the raid.

* * *

Craig paced back and forth past the window, wings beating behind him, showing his irritation. Julian sat in an armchair reading through some files. Chas, as usual, was curled up at Julian's feet, asleep.

"Will you quit pacing, Craig? You're distracting me. Haven't you got anything else to do?" Julian said, annoyed at Craig's constant pacing.

"Do I look like I have other things to do?" Craig snapped.

"I'm sure there's something else you could be doing. Shouldn't you be training or something?" Julian said.

"Yeah, I bet you'd like me to piss off, wouldn't you? Then you could spend as much time as you wanted with your stupid little lapdog there!" Craig said, pointing at Chas curled up at Julian's feet.

Chas lifted his head and looked at Craig, annoyed at his accusation. "Hey! I'm no lapdog, Craig. Will you quit calling me that?"

"It's what you are. Why call you anything else?" Craig snarled.

Chas got to his feet and snarled right back at Craig, more than prepared to defend himself and his master. The tension was growing as they snarled at each other.

"Leave Julian alone," Chas growled.

"I don't take orders from stupid lapdogs," Craig retorted.

"Don't call me that!" Chas said.

"I'll call you whatever I want to, lapdog!" Craig said.

At that, Chassy's resolve broke and he pounced Craig, pinning him back on the floor. They began wrestling, snarling and biting, needing to release the tension that had been building up for weeks. Julian sat there, holding his head in his hands, watching them fighting. He couldn't work while they were fighting in front of him. With a sigh, Julian left his work behind and left them alone, not wanting to get dragged into it.

Both Chas and Craig fought viciously, with Craig fighting back when his wings got squashed and hurt. They were an almost equal match, though if Craig had been able to grab his swords, it would've been over much faster. Instead, Chas pulled on Craig's feathers, and Craig pulled Chas' hair, both struggling to gain the upper hand.

Only when Craig pinned Chas down and straddled his back, twisting his arm behind his back hard, was the fight over. Chas cried out in pain, struggling to get free. Craig refused to let him up.

"Stupid fucking lapdog. He would die for you in an instant. Don't pretend I can't see how much he loves you. I'll never be that important to him. I hope you're happy now that you've stolen him from me," Craig growled.

"Oh, for Christ's sake, I did not steal him from you! He was never yours to begin with!" Chas protested.

Craig whacked him across the back of the head. "He was mine, and then you came along. Now he's yours, and I'm all alone."

Chas went to argue further, but Julian came into the room again and looked down at them disapprovingly. "Craig, let Chassy go and calm the fuck down. Whatever's wrong, just come out and say it. I'm trying to work here," Julian said.

"This is ridiculous. I should've known you wouldn't be interested in me. Fuck, no one cares about me," Craig said, reluctantly getting up off Chassy as he stalked over towards the window, fuming. He didn't bother seeing how badly damaged his wings were from Chassy pulling on the feathers. He wasn't in the mood to care right now. If he could fly still, he didn't much care. He'd deal with it later when he wasn't so fucking angry.

"Oh don't be like that. If you can't see that we do care about you, you might as well piss off. I don't need your foul mood right now, alright?" Julian said.

"None of you would care if I fucking died out there! Everyone loves you! Who the fuck cares about me? No one! You all hate me!" Craig said, turning to face Julian again.

"Craig, I think you need to calm down, mate. We don't all hate you. You need to step back and stop being angry at Chris. You've had more than enough time to get over it. If you can't manage that, then you really need help," Julian said.

"You don't know what it's like out there! No one fucking looks at you like you're some freak of nature! You've never been attacked just because you happen to have wings! I didn't ask for these! Hell, I didn't ask you to create my kind! You create us, then turn on us. Humans are all the fucking same! There are only so many times I can just let it slide before I just can't take it anymore! You try living with all this fucking intolerance and see how you turn out," Craig said, turning to look at Julian as he told him off.

"If you're going, then go. Otherwise, shut the fuck up and let me work," Julian said.

"I fucking hope you get raided so they can come and arrest you! Then you'll know what it's like to have your own people turn on you!" Craig said as he opened the widow and flew out into the evening air.

Julian sighed and watched him go, kicking himself for his poor choice of words.

"Here's hoping he doesn't go and do something stupid," Julian murmured.

"It's Craig. He's upset. Of course he's going to do something stupid," Chas said as he curled up at Julian's feet again, licking the wounds Craig had given him.

* * *

Craig flew around the city, far too angry and upset to make sure he wasn't seen. Luckily, he managed to arrive at his destination unscathed. He stormed into the brothel, watching everyone either run away or pull their weapons out.

"You fucking try and shoot me and I'll fucking kill you," Craig said, positioning his wings as a shield. He had his swords out, eyeing those with weapons.

"Hey, back off. I thought I told you not to come here again," said the brothel manager, a stout fat man named Gary with more scars on his body than brain cells.

"Caleb. Now. I can pay more than you can afford," Craig said.

"He's not here," the man said.

"Yes he is. Don't fuck me around, Gary," Craig said, depositing a wad of bank notes on the counter. "Caleb. Now," he repeated, making it clear that his swords were very obviously sharp.

The man remained silent, obviously thinking things over. "Fine. You know where he is. Just don't hurt the boy. He's my best slut," he said.

"I'll do whatever I want with him. I've paid you five times what he's worth," Craig said. "In fact, that'd be more than enough to buy him outright, wouldn't it?"

"Hey, he's not for sale. Piss off Craig," the man said.

"I'm not going anywhere without him. Now, we can settle this peacefully, or I can make this hurt. I'm very angry tonight. Don't fuck with me," Craig said, slamming one of the swords down against the counter hard, splitting the wood.

The man remained silent once again.

"I could just take all this money away, couldn't I? Why should I give it to you to spend on some cheap whore when I could use it to buy my safety, hmm?" Craig said.

"How much?" the man said after a moment's thought.

"You'll take what I'm offering. Ten grand, not a dollar less. You know that's more than he's worth," Craig said, staring him down.

"Fine. Go get him. He's all yours," the man said, reaching for the cash.

"No. Not til I've got him," Craig said, swatting his hand with the flat of the sword blade.

The man rolled his eyes and turned down the corridor, stopping outside one of the rooms. "Caleb! Out here now!" he yelled at the closed door.

The door opened and a small skinny boy with long messy black hair stepped out. He looked young, 17 or 18, though probably no more than 20.

"Craig. This is a surprise," Caleb said, seeing the two men standing before him.

"You're coming with me," Craig said.

Caleb looked at the other man then back at Craig. "I see. Where are we going?" he said.

"Somewhere else. Come on," Craig said, pulling a collar out of his coat.

Caleb stepped forward and let Craig collar him, not worried at all by the leash being attached to it.

Grabbing the leash tightly in one hand, Craig handed over the money. "You'll let me leave unharmed or I'll kill him," Craig said, holding one of his swords to the boy's throat.

"Get outta here. The sooner you leave, the sooner my clients will come back," Gary said.

"You won't see me again," Craig said, walking towards the front door again.

"Like hell I won't," Gary said.

"I'm already in hell," Craig said and waltzed out of the building, dragging Caleb along with him.

"Where are we going?" Caleb asked.

"Somewhere safe. You're mine now," Craig said.

"I gathered as much," Caleb said.

* * *

It was after sunset by the time they'd finished. Ruby had gathered a couple of doctors and a nurse in her search for medical equipment, which helped save those Andy lacked the knowledge to help. Ruby had gone out hunting after that and had brought back enough meat for most people in a bid to feed them and keep them alive. A huge fire pit was set up in someone's front yard as they cooked the meat. In the end, they only lost a couple of the wounded, those who had been shot several times. There was nothing that could be done for them.

Everyone not needing to lie in bed and rest was out around the fire, grouping together as they dealt with the attack. Andy sat and wondered how many other suburbs had been raided and how many others needed help.

"How many of you are armed?" Andy asked.

"Some of us are. Not everyone though. We've had a need to defend ourselves for a while, but not everyone could get hold of weapons. They're not so easy to get hold of, especially when your main concern is finding food for your family to eat that night. You thinking of getting us all together for something?" one of the men said, sitting beside his injured wife.

"There might be more suburbs they've raided. Actually, there probably are more suburbs that have been raided. I'm worried there are more people dying in the streets. I was hoping for so long that they wouldn't go and round up halfwings, but it's clear they've stepped up their activities. They'll be taken to prison camps and either worked to death, tortured, or killed en mass. This is not a good thing to have happened," Andy said.

"I'm human, and even I'm scared of what's about to happen. They've taken my children. They're only kids! The oldest is barely 10! They're going to be killed, aren't they?" a woman said.

"I don't know, but it's likely, yes. I'm sorry I can't give you better news. We've reached a critical point now. We can either sit back and take this without reacting, or we can stand up and do something and stop this before it becomes a genocide. How many have we here who are armed and willing to form a small militia to go around the surrounding suburbs and make sure they're alright? We have to survive on our own. The Army won't protect us now," Andy said.

"Is it that bad?" another man said.

"Yeah, it's that bad. We have to look after each other now. I suggest you go prepare to defend yourselves. Gather everyone together in the best defended houses. Some of you, come with me. We'll go see if the neighbouring suburbs need help. The rest of you, get your defences set up. If war does come, you need to be ready to protect yourselves. I wouldn't warn about this if I wasn't serious about it. I used to be in the Army until very recently. I know what I'm talking about," Andy said.

Andy got to his feet and a band of five men volunteered to go with him. The rest got to work, taking to heart his warnings about the coming war. They'd seen first hand that the Army were not going to protect them anymore. They'd need to do whatever they could to protect themselves now. Ruby went with Andy and the men, riding off to the next suburb to clean up the mess the Army left behind.

* * *

Grabbing Caleb with one arm, Craig flew off, looking for somewhere safe they could fuck. He decided on the safe haven. No one ever noticed him there anyway. They landed with little ceremony, and Craig dragged him inside, pulling his leash harshly. He'd waited far too long for this.

They got to Craig's room. Craig pulled him inside, locking the door behind him. Craig had already started tearing his clothes off as he pushed Caleb towards the bedroom, using his leash to pull him close and into a hard kiss. Craig was clearly stronger than Caleb, so the boy didn't fight him. Besides, Craig had paid for Caleb's services many times before. Caleb was used to Craig being rather rough with him.

Without much fuss, Craig had Caleb face down on the bed, naked, waiting for him. Craig grabbed one of Caleb's arms and twisted it behind his back, trying to stop him struggling as he pushed his way inside him.

Craig didn't let him go until he'd finally satisfied all those weeks of frustration. He'd worn the poor boy out. Hell, he'd worn himself out. He found himself lying beside Caleb, gently stroking his hair. It was his hair Craig loved most about him. Long and black. Good to tangle fingers in.

"You've been keeping that in for a while, haven't you?" Caleb said once his breath had slowed back to normal.

"Far too long. Sorry about that. I didn't hurt you, did I?" Craig said.

"I've had worse than you," Caleb said.

"But they don't care about you like I do," Craig said.

Craig pulled him into a kiss, soft and gentle this time, a hand getting lost in his hair. They broke apart, and Caleb found himself cuddling up to Craig as Craig wrapped his wings around them.

"I was beginning to think you'd never come back again, like you said you would," Caleb said.

"Sorry. Life got complicated. I said I'd come and get you, didn't I? And now here you are with me," Craig said.

"You going to make me pay off that ten grand you just spent on me?" Caleb said.

"Hell no. I stole that from Julian. It was worth it just to have you here with me," Craig said.

"I've been here only a few hours and already you're turning into a sweetie pie," Caleb joked.

"What can I say? You can turn anyone into a sweetie pie," Craig said.

"I was trained well," Caleb said, a lazy grin crossing his lips.

"You're a credit to your master," Craig said.

"Keep complimenting me like this and I might just fall for you," Caleb said.

"As if you haven't already," Craig said, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, you're definitely different to all my other clients," Caleb said.

"I have wings for a start," Craig said.

"Those wings are just lovely, you know," Caleb said.

"I take good care of them. I have to," Craig said.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Caleb said.

"I can't fly when they're all dirty, you know. I literally can't fly if they've been neglected. So I have to look after them because I'm rather attached to being able to fly," Craig said.

"I'd love wings like yours," Caleb said.

"Yeah? Sure they look nice, but you don't want the shit that goes with them," Craig said. "People can be such morons."

"You think I don't know that? After what I've been through? Please, we both have our reasons for revenge," Caleb said.

"You gonna help us with the rebellion then?" Craig said.

"As if you even need to ask. I have a couple of friends who'll come in handy," Caleb said.

"I'm sure you do," Craig said.

"You got anything that resembles food around here? I always get hungry after a good hard fucking," Caleb said, extracting himself from Craig's embrace.

"Well, get yourself dressed and I'll see what I can find. You want a shower or anything?" Craig said, sitting up.

"I'll be – you have showers here?" Caleb said, turning to look at him as he pulled his clothes on.

"Yeah. Wanna come with?" Craig said, grabbing his clothes from the floor.

"Lead the way. I haven't had a decent shower for months," Caleb said.

"Thought as much," Craig said.

Once dressed, Craig delighted in taking Caleb for a wash, showing him how to wash his wings before giving him a good wash, taking his time washing his hair. There were kisses and soft caresses, and Craig ran his fingers through Caleb's hair, loving the feel of it all silky wet and smooth.

By the time they'd finished, Caleb was feeling very happy indeed. Craig scrounged some clean clothes for the boy and took him to the mess hall to find something to eat.

It was well past dinner time by the time they arrived, but there were always a few people around manning the kitchens for those times when meals were needed at short notice. Caleb proved to have quite the appetite for a boy his age, and once they'd eaten, Craig pulled them both back to bed, where they were soon asleep.

* * *

It was late by the time Ruby and Andy had finished. They'd managed to organise the surrounding suburbs and take care of the injured. It was in their hands now. Something was brewing. It was in the air. Ruby was grooming and feeding the horses while Andy fixed them a final meal before bed as he sat around the fire.

"We staying here tonight?" Andy asked.

"No, it's too risky. We need to make the haven tonight. Trouble's coming. Can't you smell it? Let's eat and get out of here. I'd say we're no more than a few hours' ride away now," Ruby said.

"Today's developments would suggest as much. Are you staying at the haven as well?" Andy said.

"Maybe. We'll see what the situation is when we get there. If trouble's brewing, it might be safer for me to stay there than return to my people," Ruby said.

Andy dished out their meals and handed a plate to Ruby. "Do you think we'll find Hamish there?"

"I think a lot of things. Some are correct. Some aren't. I'm not sure what we'll find there," Ruby said with a shrug as she took her meal.

"But you do know where to go, don't you?" Andy said.

"Of course I know where to go. I'm just not sure what we'll find when we get there. Safe havens are notoriously flightly things. They can disappear in an instant, and reappear somewhere else. But enough speculation. Eat, and we will head on our way. I hope to be there before dawn," Ruby said.

Andy nodded his answer as he ate, not comforted by her words at all. Was she insinuating they could find nothing but a pile of rubble? His doubts crept up on him again, but with Hamish so much in his thoughts, he couldn't turn back now. He'd just have to hope they were safe.

They set off soon afterwards, having disguised their camp before riding off into the night. Andy followed Ruby in silence, thinking of nothing but finding his Hamish again.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tide begins to turn in the rebels' favour and Wil and Julian plot to capitalise on mistakes made by the State. Meanwhile, Craig and Caleb find themselves distracted, and in doing so, find themselves the bearers of disturbing news.

Wil watched the news filtering in on the State-run news channel with dismay and alarm. He'd heard about the bulletin and wanted to know what propaganda was being spilled to them this time. What he saw horrified him. The Army were rounding up halfwings and marching them into the backs of trucks to take them to prison camps. How could the people condone such action against their own people?

As it turned out, the people left behind weren't too pleased, it seemed, after the Army fired at them to stop them going after their loved ones. And as much as Wil was horrified at the attacks, there was a growing realisation that maybe, just maybe, the tide would soon be turning in their favour.

"I gotta go tell Julian. This could be the turning point," Wil muttered as he switched off the TV and ran off to find Julian.

* * *

Wil burst into Julian's room wearing an expression caught between joy and horror. Suitably intrigued, Julian invited him in. Chas was still curled up at his feet and shifted as Julian rose to greet him.

"Something wrong? I'm not sure if you're happy or not," Julian said.

"They're rounding up halfwings. All over the fucking country. Somehow, they got footage in of the Army firing on those left behind. That'll cause outrage, that will. Clearly, they think they've got nothing left to lose by doing this now. I think we might have found a point we can garner their support with," Wil said.

"You're fucking kidding me. I thought they were never going to do that. I wonder what changed their mind," Julian said.

"I don't know, but the news said it was part of their strike against rebellion. There was a vague reference to strikes against rebel strongholds, but I think they're lying or we'd have heard something about that by now from our own sources," Wil said.

"All I've heard are that the Army's increasing their presence in the suburbs and carrying out raids on suspected houses hiding rebels. There's also been chatter that they're going to start with the restricted zones as well, but nothing official, so we can't assume that's happening or not," Julian said.

"Either way, this is a serious development. It's almost a declaration of war, isn't it? The number of people killed right now is going to skyrocket and there's nothing we can do about that," Wil said. "Hey, is there any way to hack into the official news channel and broadcast our own message? Could we hack it for a minute and send our own message to the people and rally them to our cause?"

"It's risky, it is, and comes with a serious threat of discovery and death. No more than a minute of airtime would be available, and we know they have the technology to track the signal. We've thought about doing it before, but never bothered because we were too concerned with keeping our heads down. But maybe it is time to announce our presence and make our demands. The Army still aren't quite sure we even exist. They just know there's something out there, which might explain the generalised raids. They'd have come here by now if they'd known we were real. Come on, let's go talk to Charles. He'll be able to tell us if it's possible or not," Julian said.

* * *

"Julian, what can I do for you?" Charles said, spinning around on his chair to see Julian and Wil standing in the doorway of his tiny room where he worked when he wasn't out scouring the country for allies. He'd seen them on the security monitor as they walked down the corridor towards him.

"I wish you wouldn't do that. It's still creepy, you know," Julian said.

"Sorry. I just like knowing who's coming. I do tend to get rather engrossed in my work. So, what brings you to my lair?" Charles said.

"Is it possible to hack into the official news channel to broadcast our own message? We think the time to do so is now. The Army's rounding up halfwings and proclaiming it as some sort of strike against us. The people are becoming aware that the Army doesn't exist to protect them, but to enforce tyranny. I think it's time we used that to our advantage," Julian said.

"Well, theoretically it's possible. It's tricky, and there's a lot that needs doing to remain untraceable, but it is possible. Barely. But only because of the transmitters they use and fail to secure properly. I've managed to hack into their network twice before, just to see if it could be done, but I've never broadcast anything so I don't know how quickly it would be picked up and traced. I'll also need some time to properly secure our own signal. Have you got your tape ready? Or do we need to shoot that too?" Charles said.

"We haven't got anything prepared yet. We were just curious if it's possible," Wil said.

"Well, go get me something and I'll work on the hacking. Make it no more than 60 seconds all up. I can't guarantee any more time than that. If you could get it down to 30 seconds that'd be even better," Charles said.

"We'll see what we can do. Oh, wait, Adam's off at the arena, isn't he? Should we wait til he gets back before we do this? Or is it too important to wait?" Wil said.

"I think the sooner we do this, the better. If the Army's preoccupied, they'll be less aware of what we're doing. But if you think it would be a better look to have Adam front the tape, then wait til he gets back," Charles said.

"Let's wait. We don't want to fuck this up. Let's go work on some sort of script now and wait til Adam gets back before we do anything. I think it'll be a better look if Adam's up there talking to the people. It'll give us more authority than if he's not there," Wil said.

"Okay, let's go work something out. We'll leave you to it, Charles," Julian said.

"Give me a call when you're ready. I'll have it waiting for you," Charles said.

* * *

Not remembering he's supposed to be elsewhere that night, Craig shuts himself in with Caleb at the safe haven, wanting to fuck for as long as they could both manage. Caleb's presence hadn't gone down too well when Craig had introduced him the morning after he'd arrived. Julian hated unannounced guests, especially ones that were going to stay permanently and not just pass through. Perhaps Julian had guessed that Craig had stolen money from him and what he'd spent it on. Craig didn't care though. He counted it as just another reason why Julian – and the rest – didn't like him.

Once again, Craig and Caleb weren't bothering with care as their clothes came off and they fell onto the bed together. Caleb was on his back, with Craig lying over him, both hands grabbing his head as he planted soft kisses all over him. Caleb held him back, hands slipping down Craig's chest to his hips. Craig groaned at Caleb's soft touch, grinding against him, already worked up enough to want to hurry and push inside him. Craig's wings acted like a blanket, covering them both with warmth.

"Hey, Craig," Caleb murmured against Craig's kisses.

"Yeah?" Craig murmured back, planting soft kisses along his jaw line.

"I wanna take it slow tonight. Draw it out. Make it last til midnight, if you can hold back that long," Caleb said with a slight smirk, making it clear he didn't believe Craig could last that long.

"Giving me a challenge, hey?" Craig said, nibbling on his ear.

"Not up to it? Damn, I need me a new boyfriend," Caleb said.

Craig paused. Neither of them had referred to the other as their boyfriend yet, in spite of both knowing that was what they were. Craig was pleasantly surprised that Caleb had said it.

"Boyfriend, hey? Is that what I am?" Craig said with a teasing grin.

"Well, what else are you? You're certainly not paying me for sex anymore, therefore you're not my client. Must be my boyfriend. Or would you rather we didn't fuck anymore, hmm?" Caleb said, equally able to tease him back.

"Oh no, I'm not letting you get away that easily. Boyfriend is what you are, and a damn fuckable one at that," Craig said.

"You can't resist me. I'd dare you to try, but I can see how hard you are already. You'd fail miserably," Caleb said, sliding a hand between them to grab Craig's erection, stroking it softly.

"A guy's allowed to have a weakness, isn't he? And with hands like that, no one could resist you," Craig said, griding against Caleb's touch.

"You wanna let me do the teasing for once, hmm? I could deep throat by the time I was 16. You ever been deep throated?" Caleb said, flicking his thumb across the slit, causing Craig to fend off his orgasm as he considered Caleb's words.

"Never had anyone who could do it. Wanna show me what it's like?" Craig said.

"With pleasure, as that's certainly what you're going to get," Caleb said, pushing Craig over onto his back.

Craig scooted up the bed to lean against the bed head as Caleb began kissing up his body, starting with his feet. Caleb spent an awful amount of time softly kissing and massaging Craig's legs, working his way slowly but surely up his body until he reached his groin, procrastinating further by sucking on his balls, causing Craig to tense up as he waited in anticipation for Caleb to finally get to his dick.

Craig could hardly speak as Caleb took him into his mouth, tongue flicking over the head, sending Crag into spasms of pleasure. Craig was losing sense of time, couldn't concentrate on anything other than what was happening between his legs. He couldn't help letting out a scream as Caleb took him into his mouth fully, arching his body as he slid down him.

Caleb wanted to smile at the noise this elicited from Craig, who was clutching the bed tightly in his hands, involuntarily thrusting into Caleb's hot accommodating mouth. Caleb pulled back, sucking on the head for a moment before deep throating him again, taking Craig perilously close to coming. He was doing things with his tongue Craig couldn't resist.

One more deep throat was all he needed, with Caleb waiting for Craig to come in his mouth, wanting to feel him orgasm inside him. Craig was far from in control, his mind distantly remembering why he was always determined to have Caleb, no matter the cost. The boy knew how to please, knew exactly what to do, without having to be asked. He just knew.

Craig collapsed against the bed as he came down, Caleb slowly sliding along him a couple more times for good measure. His wings were stretched out either side of him, limp and still. He was covered in sweat, but he didn't care. He felt wonderful.

When Caleb finally pulled away from him, Craig let him, albeit very reluctantly. Caleb crawled up Craig's body, falling on top of him, wrapping his arms around him as he kissed his neck softly.

"And that, dear Craig, is what it feels like to be deep throated," Caleb said with a wry grin.

"Fuck, you're amazing," Craig said.

"Oh, you just wait. I haven't finished yet," Caleb said.

It didn't take long for Craig find himself hard again, not only due to Caleb's teasing. Caleb was painstakingly paying attention to every inch of his skin, licking and sucking his toes, kissing his heels, ankles, the top of his feet, moving along every inch of his shins, his knees, his thighs, his hips, landing a couple of good hard bites sending Craig shuddering with pleasure, licking and sucking each finger on both hands, his wrists, his arms, his elbows, his upper arms, his shoulders, his neck, moving onto his wings, delicately stroking every feather, making Craig absolutely frustrated with lust, having his delicate hands rolling Craig over onto his stomach, Caleb lying on top of him, running his hands through his hair as he kissed the back of his neck, moving between his wings, hitting that special spot that made Craig's knees weak, his soft hands and equally soft kisses covering his back, moving down towards his arse, parting his cheeks to tongue-fuck him, loving the feel of Craig's appreciative body reacting to every sensation. Craig found himself pushing against Caleb's rimming, wanting him to just hurry up and fuck him, his hands balling into fists, trying not to batter him too much with his wings.

But it was his wings that Caleb paid most attention to. Craig was being unusually tolerant about his wings being touched. Usually, it just made him angry and possessive, but Caleb very quickly had him purring like a kitten. Caleb's slender fingers weaved between the feathers, barely touching them, sending Craig into spasms of desire, trying to resist the urge to push Caleb away and tell him to stop.

Just when Craig thought he was about to die from Caleb's teasing, Caleb started licking the feathers of his wings while stroking his fingers ever so gently across the bone. Craig had no idea Caleb knew what to do with wings. Craig had always refused him permission to touch them, leaving Craig to wonder where he learnt all this. He didn't wonder for long as a shudder of ticklish pleasure sent any thoughts packing.

Leaving his wings alone at last, Caleb took his time preparing him, sliding first one finger inside him, making for his prostate in a bid to send Craig into spasms, which it did to great success. It wasn't that Craig really needed a lot of preparation, Caleb just loved teasing him mercilessly. Craig's begging only served to prolong Caleb's teasing as he got around to pushing a second finger inside, his free hand placed on his back, pressing Craig into the bed, trying to keep him as still as was reasonably possible when you had a hyper-aroused fullwing clamouring for release.

By the time Caleb got to the third finger, Craig had lost track of just about everything really. His mind exploded with pleasure as Caleb finally slicked himself up and pushed inside him, pinning his legs down as he thrust inside him hard. Craig had pulled a pillow over his head in frustration, groaning into the bed, wanting to release all the build-up. But Caleb was again in no hurry, taking his time getting himself worked up before he finally couldn't hold back any longer, letting himself thrust into Craig as hard and as fast as his body desired until he felt Craig coming, his body tensing up. It was enough to bring Caleb over the edge as he gave one final hard thrust inside him, digging his nails into Craig's back, unafraid of letting out a scream that harmonised with Craig's final groan.

Caleb collapsed against him, throwing the pillow away so he could kiss Craig's neck again. He decided not to pull out immediately. He'd grown to love the feeling of just being inside another guy as they both came down after a hard fuck. Craig was breathing hard, Caleb loved feeling the rise and fall of his chest, his hands stretching out under his wings to curl around his torso. He pressed soft kisses to the nape of his neck, feeling Craig's hot skin against his lips. Craig's wings folded back around them, limp and still, tingling with an ache Craig hadn't felt before that he put down to Caleb's teasing.

"Fucking hell… You're fucking…" Craig panted, seemingly lost for words.

"Amazing? Talented? The best fuck you've ever had?" Caleb suggested.

"Something like that, yeah," Craig said.

"You're not too bad yourself, nice and tight, just the way I like it. You bottomed much?" Caleb said.

"Not enough, it seems. Chris was a lousy fuck, never wanted to take his time, always rushed through, always cared about himself," Craig said.

"Selfish fucks are never good. I've had too many of those. Some guys just don't know how to fuck," Caleb said.

"Tell me about it," Craig said. "Hey, what time is it?" he asked as an afterthought.

Caleb finally and very reluctantly pulled out to grab his watch from the floor, or wherever it had landed in their hurried undressing. He found it against the wall. He half-got off the bed and grabbed it, quickly lying beside Craig again.

"Um, quarter past ten," Caleb said, putting his watch on.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. I was supposed to be at the arena at nine. Come on, get dressed, we'd better get over there before I get in any more trouble," Craig said.

* * *

Thoughts of sex suddenly discarded from their minds, Craig and Caleb dressed quickly and headed outside to fly to the Glass House. Caleb was light enough for Craig to carry on his own, with the help of a modified parachute harness of course. But as they approached the Glass House, it became abundantly clear something was very wrong.

Military police were swarming all over the rooftop. Winged humans and soldiers were engaged in melees everywhere. There was screaming, fighting, sniping from the helicopters, and those winged humans still alive were being arrested and hauled into Army transporters.

Craig quickly flew and hid behind one of the nearby buildings, watching the scene unfold. He was struck with fear as he recognised Adam and Tim fighting for everyone's lives, killing and attacking as many soldiers as they could in a bid to free as many as possible. There were more winged humans, certainly, but the soldiers had the better firepower, and the snipers were getting very accurate shots in. In a bid to save energy, Craig flew onto the roof and landed, hiding behind a large metal box, peering out at the scene again. He didn't dare unhook Caleb for fear he may have to fly for their lives at a moment's notice.

He'd lost track of where Adam and Tim were in the scuffle, distracted by the war planes circling the building ominously. Craig looked away in fear as the first missile struck, setting fire to The Glass House. Craig tried not to listen to the screaming. There had still been people inside the arena. Craig wanted to fly out there and help, but he knew he'd be putting Caleb in danger. Instead he turned to fly off, figuring he could at least warn everyone else about what had happened. And he spun around and came face to face with another winged human, this one muzzled, collared and leashed, snarling at them.

Craig found himself hesitating, not wanting to hurt one of his own, but wanting to escape so badly he was prepared to do anything to manage that. His survival instincts took hold and he managed to get a nice gash into the winged human's shoulder, sending it to the ground howling in pain. Craig whispered an apology to his kin, hating having to hurt one of his own, but it bought Craig and Caleb enough time to fly off, sending them away from the destruction as more missiles rained down on the building. Craig didn't know he was crying; he was too concerned with escaping to notice.

He heard people yelling at him as he flew, their spotlights must've found them, and the gun shots that rang out through the air scared him. He couldn't see them, only heard them, and the thing that told him he'd been shot a couple of times was the pain in his back and leg. He almost fell out of the sky, Caleb's weight suddenly feeling like he was carrying a boy made of lead, but managed to land on a roof to catch his breath and so he can make sure he was ok. Thank the Gods they missed his wings.

Craig tentatively leant against a wall, inspecting the bleeding wounds. This time he had to unhook Caleb from the harness. There was no way he could carry his weight now. Caleb was by his side helping him as soon as he was free, tossing the harness away. Craig was beginning to feel weak. His leg had only been grazed, but there was a hole in his back now. He was finding it hard to breath, the pain spiralling throughout his body. He wasn't sure he could get home in this condition. He had to call someone, let them know he was alright, well, sort of alright.

"Caleb, call Jules. He has to know what's happened," Craig said, throwing his phone at him. He leant back against the wall as Caleb called for help.

"Julian? We need help here. Craig's been shot," Caleb said.

"What do you mean, shot? Where are you? Is that you Caleb?" Julian said.

"Yeah, it's Caleb. We were going to the Glass House, but there was a raid. Planes and cops everywhere. They're firing missiles at the building. I don't know if anyone survived," Caleb said.

"They raided it? Are you ok? You hurt at all?" Julian said.

"No, no, I'm fine, it's Craig. He's not looking too good," Caleb said.

"Where are you? Where'd he get shot?" Julian said.

"I don't know where we are. On top of some building, I think. He's bleeding badly. He's got a bad shot in his back and a graze to his leg. He's not flying anywhere. Is there anyway we can get some help here?" Caleb said.

"Don't worry, I'll get help. You can't be that far from the arena. Just hang in there, alright?" Julian said.

"Thanks. Hurry. I think the cops are coming this way," Caleb said and quickly ended the call as he saw the search lights from the choppers getting closer.

Caleb dragged Craig into the best hiding spot he could find, making sure Craig was comfortable and not bleeding to death. Caleb pulled his shirt off and made a makeshift bandage for the wound on his back, pressing hard against it in a bid to stop the bleeding.

"You hang in there, Craig, help will be here soon. Just stay alive for me," Caleb whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Caleb. Got you in so much trouble. Should've left you at the haven. My own fault you're stranded here," Craig said quietly.

"Don't you apologise for one moment. This isn't your fault. I wanted to come. How are you feeling anyway?" Caleb said.

"Back fucking hurts. Shit, I'm fucking crying. Gods, this is a mess. I'm going to fucking die up here," Craig whispered, a hand struggling to reach his eyes to wipe his tears away.

Caleb leaned over to do it for him, brushing his tears away with his thumb. "Shh, you're not going to die. I promise," he whispered.

"Gods, I've messed up. They all hate me and won't come for me. I'll be left here to die and no one will care," Craig said, unable to shake his mind from its melancholy mood.

"No, don't you think like that. They'll be here. I know they will. They won't leave you to die up here," Caleb said.

"You don't know them like I do. I've pissed them all off. I wouldn't be surprised if they all hate me," Craig said.

"What did I tell you? Shut up. They'll be here as soon as they can, ok? Now just be quiet. I'll try to stop the bleeding here so you don't die on me," Caleb said.

With a heavy sigh, Craig obeyed, contenting himself to lie there and try and will the pain away as they waited for someone to come and help them.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fallout from the raid begins, and Wil and Hamish go to rescue the survivors, a task that will not be as easy as they hope it will be.

Caleb's call had interrupted Julian in the middle of writing a draft script for the broadcast they wanted to do. Wil had gone off to eat, leaving Julian with notes of what they'd come up with together. The news made the broadcast unimportant. What mattered now was rescuing everyone they could from the shattered remains of the arena.

Julian got to work calling those who were still around to organise a rescue, wondering how he was going to deal with all the injured and arrested people. It occurred to him that Adam would be caught up in the raid and that he really didn't know if he was even still alive. He paused at that thought. They couldn't afford to lose their leader now. They had too much at stake. If he was dead, Julian wasn't sure they could pull themselves out of their grief.

Julian's activities woke Chassy, who was asleep in a corner, having decided he would rather sleep than help with the draft script. He looked up to see Julian looking frantic with worry.

"Jules, it's 11pm. What the fuck's going on?" Chas said, wandering over to Julian.

"The Glass House's been raided. Hit with missiles and shit. No idea if they're all alive, dead or imprisoned. All I know is that Craig's been shot and is lying on top of one of the buildings around the arena. Caleb's with him. We need to go get them at the very least and see if anyone else is still there to be rescued," Julian said.

"That's – damn, that's terrible. Anything I can do?" Chas said.

"Go make sure the medics are ready and that we've got enough supplies to deal with them all. We leave no one behind if possible. This is going to be a long night. I'll get Wil and Hamish to organise a rescue group," Julian said.

"On it, Jules," Chas said, leaving Julian to his panic.

* * *

The first thing Hamish heard of the raid was when Julian called. He'd stayed behind to catch up on some reading, though Adam had offered to take him with him to the arena that evening. Hamish declined, citing tiredness. Julian gave him one more reason he should be thankful he didn't go.

"Hamish? Something's up, we need to move fast. Are you up for a rescue?" Julian said, seemingly skipping details.

"What's going on? You okay, Jules? Who needs rescuing?" Hamish said.

"Oh, sorry. The arena was raided, apparently. Craig got shot trying to escape. Caleb's with him, said something about planes and missiles firing into the building. I don't know how many have been arrested or killed. Is Wil around? I'd like you two to organise the first rescue group," Julian said.

"Yeah, I think I saw him head to the showers. I'll get him to give you a call. Anything I can do?" Hamish said, feeling remarkably proud of how not panicked he sounded having heard Julian's news.

"Round up a group to scout the area and do a rescue. Craig and Caleb are stuck on top of one of the buildings nearby. Craig's injured. If there's any way we can get to them and get them back here, make it happen. I'll send some others out to scout around for other casualties as we only know about Craig and Caleb at the moment," Julian said.

"Okay, good idea. Any idea which building they're on?" Hamish said.

"No idea, but it'll be one of the ones near the arena. Get them to come from the east and scout the buildings. Craig's got his phone with him, see if Wil can't track them down with that," Julian said.

"Alright. I'll see what we can do," Hamish said, hanging up and heading for the showers to find Wil.

Hamish found Wil just leaving the showers. He ran to him, trying not to look panicked, but wasn't sure he was succeeding.

"Wil, the arena – Julian said it's been raided. Planes and missiles and shit like that. Craig and Caleb are stuck on top of one of the buildings nearby. Craig's been shot. Adam was at the arena too. No idea what's happened to him, or anyone else," Hamish said, his panic just starting to show.

"Fucking hell. How did they find out about that place? Alright. I'll go see Jules and find out what's happened. Go get one of the scout teams, fliers and drivers. We'll need both. If there's any chance they're alright, we're getting them out. Everyone's armed, make sure of that," Wil said.

"Don't worry, I'll be one of the drivers. I'm not leaving Adam there, if he's still alive and not arrested," Hamish said.

And with that, they parted, Wil heading deep into the warehouse to talk to Julian, Hamish heading into the main area to get a scout team together. Fifteen minutes later, they were off, heading through the chaotic city towards the arena in a bunch of old army trucks they'd stolen from an Army base a few years ago.

* * *

Everything happened so fast. Adam found himself grabbed and hauled into the back of the transporter before he could fight back, his weapons and armour stripped from him as he was handed to another pair of soldiers who delighted in locking him into a small cage. One of the soldiers leant into the cage, sneering at him. Adam sat there, head lowered, resisting the urge to fight them off and escape.

"Oh, look who we got. Invincible Adam. The one no one can catch. Looks like we outfoxed you this time, mutant," one of the soldiers said.

Adam ignored him. He was far too angry to respond with any sort of coherency.

"What? Can't speak now? Too embarrassed at being caught at last? We've got some special things waiting for you when we get back to base," the soldier said, whacking Adam across the face hard.

"You're not worth my breath, _mutants_," Adam said with equal bitterness and scorn, still not looking at them.

"Don't worry, you'll get what's coming to you, bitch, once we've had our own revenge," the soldier said, stepping back out of the cage, slamming the cage door shut and locking it.

Adam glanced at them as they walked off, nothing but hatred firing its way through his body.

"They will not destroy me. They won't do to me what they did to you, Seb," Adam said quietly.

* * *

Tim was one of the lucky ones. With the few survivors, Tim had managed to escape the building just before the missiles struck. Tim had waited as long as he could for Adam, but they'd lost so many already. It was survival of the few or no one at all. Tim had to leave Adam behind. They'd flown to one of the surrounding buildings, looking for somewhere to hide for the moment so they could regroup and work out how injured they all were.

There were only six of them.

Six!

Out of a hundred people training in the arena, only six had managed to escape alive. Tim, and five others, a couple he knew better than the rest. Ninety four had either died or been arrested, Tim wasn't sure how many had suffered each fate. Sure, they had outnumbered the soldiers attacking them, but they had planes and choppers, and far better weapons. No wonder so few had survived to escape.

"Hands up who's dying," Tim said once they had hidden themselves.

One of the men resting heavily on his mate looked like the worst injured. The low light wasn't giving much away, but the blood soaking his left side looked serious.

"Matt here was lucky to get away. Looks pretty badly cut open. I didn't know the cops used knives," his mate said.

"Get him on his side. We have to try to bandage it," Tim said.

Matt was lowered to the floor, lying on his not injured side, as Tim and his mate fussed over him, trying to bind the wound in a makeshift bandage as best they could before he bled to death. Then there was nothing to do but wait and hide and hope.

* * *

Adam remained in the cage as the plane flew back to the base. Adam had no idea which base they were going to, but it couldn't have been too far away, from the length of the flight. When they landed, Adam and all the other winged humans arrested were taken to the base and locked in their cells. Adam was separated from the main group, he wasn't surprised by this, and locked in his own cell, while the others were taken to larger cells and held in small groups.

It was a small cell Adam found himself in, nothing more than a cold metal box. There was a bed, though it didn't look comfortable, a toilet, and that was it. He was surprised he was given them at all, considering he wasn't even considered human. Adam found himself shoved up against a wall by the two soldiers escorting him, his hands roughly cuffed behind his back as his face was pressed hard against the metal wall. He felt someone grab his wings, pulling them in awkward ways.

"Stupid mutant. We're gonna clip your wings like some pathetic pet budgie. You won't be getting away from us now," one of the soldiers said.

Adam tried to lash out at them, but he was clearly overpowered. Adam cringed as he felt them hacking at his feathers, leaving him with jagged edges and destroyed wings. There was no way he could fly now, seeing how badly they'd cut them. At least, not until the feathers grew back, and that would take months. He could feel the remnant feathers falling to the floor, how his wings felt lighter than they had been before. A small part of him wanted to cry, but he was more overcome with anger and hatred, still vainly struggling to get free.

When they finished with his wings, they felt it was necessary to give him a beating before injecting him with something. Adam lay there in pain, feeling his head spinning, rapidly losing consciousness. He never heard their passing insults as they left him alone in the cell, still cuffed, to wait for whatever they had planned for him.

The soldiers were met by their base commander, a former American general who escaped the former world power before its collapse to come to command the Australian forces, who'd come to inspect the prisoners. He'd heard rumours they had captured one of the big guys, and wanted to see for himself. He was one of the few who believed there was an organised rebellion, and had ordered the strike on the arena as an experiment to see if he could goad them out of their safe havens.

"And who have we got here boys?" the general said.

The soldiers turned and saluted their commander before the more senior of the two spoke.

"We got the so-called invincible one, Adam. Not so invincible now," the soldier said with a smirk.

"Very good. Put up much of a fight?" the general said.

"No match for us, sir. He's in there out cold. Cut his precious wings so he can't fly," the soldier said.

"Excellent. Leave him for me. I'll be doing his interrogation personally. I have a few tricks up my sleeve I've saved just for him. The others are to be interrogated and executed. Don't waste time with it. Get as many troops as possible involved. If they're going to launch a rescue, they'll do it soon, so make sure there's no one left to rescue," the general said.

"Yessir," the two soldiers answered.

"Dismissed. Get moving," the general said.

The two soldiers saluted again and left. The general opened the small window in the door to gaze at Adam lying unconscious inside. Satisfied, he left to prepare.

* * *

Wil had managed to pinpoint the building Craig and Caleb were on, and the trucks pulled up outside. It was lucky there was no one else about. Everyone piled out of the trucks, a group of about ten with equal numbers of winged humans and wingless humans. Wil was quick to get them organised.

"Two of you fly up and see how they're doing. The rest of us will storm the building. If they've got lifts, it'll be easier to get them down than try carrying them down with a couple of us, especially if Craig's badly injured. I need one driver in each truck ready to get moving as soon as we have them back. Carl, you come with me. We'll fly ahead and find them. The rest, get to work," Wil said, grabbing one winged human by the arm as they both flew up the side of the building.

Wil and Carl landed on the rooftop, not seeing anyone there. It was dark, the sky lit up with the orange glow of fire from the building where The Glass House once stood. The building itself would probably still stand, but the arena had been destroyed. Who knew how many had died when the missiles hit? How many had been arrested? How few had escaped?

"They're probably hiding, go round the other way. Try not to alert any of the cops that might still be around," Wil said, setting off in the opposite direction to the one he told Carl to go.

* * *

It was Carl who found them, huddled behind a large metal box. Craig was lying on his stomach, looking pale and weak. Caleb was lying beside him, stroking his hair gently, trying to calm him. In spite of the makeshift bandage, Craig was still bleeding, as evidenced by the blood on the surrounding concrete.

"How's he doing?" Carl said, kneeling beside them.

"Not good. It's bleeding fast. I can't make it stop. I think he's unconscious. He's not going to die, is he?" Caleb said, worry starting to show in his voice.

"He'd better not. I'll go get Wil," Carl said, not seeing the point in telling them to wait where they were. They weren't going anywhere.

* * *

Wil set off, searching in every conceivable hiding spot until he found the small maintenance shed backed up against the large covered area that contained the building's control systems. The door looked slightly ajar. There wasn't really anywhere else to hide, so this would have to be the last place on this side. Pushing the door open, Wil found not Craig and Caleb, but Tim and the four other survivors, huddled around the body of Matt, the worst injured.

"Tim," was all Wil found he could say.

Tim looked up and approached him, not sure whether to be upset or happy. Wil opened his arms to him as Tim fell into his embrace. Wil held him tight. Was this it? Was this all that had managed to escape the arena? Six people?

"They took Adam, I tried to save him, but we had to leave him behind. We're all that's left. The rest are dead, or about to be, if they've not already been executed," Tim said.

Wil was proud of Tim's composure. It can't have been easy leaving everyone behind, especially Adam. Wil didn't want to think about what they were doing to Adam. They had to get him out of there. But first, they had to get the injured back to the safe haven where they could be treated, though Wil wasn't certain Matt would make it.

"It'll be alright. Stay here while I go find Craig. Our boys should be here with stretchers and such soon. I'll send them to you. Once they're safe, then we can go after Adam," Wil said.

* * *

And with that, Wil set off again, tracing back to where he started, running into Carl as he went.

"Craig's back there, looks pretty weak," Carl said.

"Tim and five others are back there. One of them's badly injured. I'm not certain he'll make it, but we have to try. I'll go see Craig. Go and find out how long Hamish and the others are going to be. We need them here now. Tell them we've got two casualties here that will need assistance," Wil said.

"I'm on it, boss," Carl said, heading off in the direction Wil had come from.

* * *

Wil headed around to find Caleb crouched beside Craig. Craig really didn't look good. He was curled up on his stomach, an alarmingly large pool of blood underneath him. Wil was at his side, grabbing his head, making sure he was still alive.

"Craig, mate? You still with us?" Wil said.

Craig didn't respond, Wil thought that was probably because he couldn't, but he saw Craig half-open his eyes, which was good enough for him.

"Excellent. We haven't lost you yet. The boys will be here in a minute. We'll get you home safe, alright? Don't you go dying on me," Wil said.

Craig opened and shut his eyes again. It was as much of an acknowledgement of his words that he could give.

"Caleb, what happened?" Wil said, turning his attention to the boy kneeling beside him.

"I don't really know. We arrived late, the place was already under siege. Cops, choppers, planes everywhere. Fucking chaos. We saw them fighting with the soldiers, trying to escape. People were being hauled into the back of one of those transport ships. Those that were still alive anyway. Craig had landed on another building to watch, but this winged human, clearly one of the ones tamed by the cops, was there, trapping us. Craig flew us to safety, I think he killed the winged human, but they were shooting at us, and I felt the impact when Craig got hit, and we managed to make it here in once piece. They were firing missiles into the arena as we were leaving. The place was on fire. There was all this screaming and shit. I've never been so scared in my life," Caleb said.

"At least you're both safe and alive. Tim and five others made it to this building as well. I found them around the other side. One's badly injured though. I don't know how many others survived. It could take ages to search the area. As cold as it sounds, it's safer to assume everyone is either dead or arrested. We get you guys back to the haven then we go after everyone else. You hurt at all?" Wil said.

"Nah, I'm fine. Bit shaken, but yeah. Is he going to be alright?" Caleb said.

"I hope so. As much as he's an annoying little shit, I'd hate for him to die up here, and he does have his uses, you know," Wil said.

"He just bought me from my pimp. I owe him my life. I don't want him dying. Oh, God, please don't let him die. I've got nowhere else to go. God, don't you die on me, Craig," Caleb said, the stress and fear finally breaking forth. Caleb was ashamed that he was crying, but the thought of losing Craig was not one he wanted to entertain.

"Come here, it'll be alright. Just you wait. He's not going to die," Wil said, grabbing Caleb into a hug.

Caleb clutched onto him, desperately wanting to believe Wil's words. He was a tough kid, had been through hell to survive, but his life had gained meaning when Craig turned up. He'd taken a liking to Caleb, and neither of them had expected to fall in love. Craig promised he would save up enough money to buy his freedom and take him away from all this crap. Caleb had been brought to tears at that. No one had ever wanted to sacrifice so much for him. See, Craig? I'm redeeming you somewhat. Don't let me down. _Is this really a good time to be conversing with me since I'm lying on the roof of some random building fucking bleeding to death?_ Oh, shush. You'll live. You really think I'd let you die? _Hey, I saw that! You're going to kill me off in the battle, aren't you?_ I don't know yet. If you boys would actually tell me what's happening, I might be able to work out who dies. _Yeah, well, you can just shut up and write._ My, you are moody tonight.

* * *

The general was sitting in his office, listening in for any news of the rebels. He leant back and smoked a cigar, rather relishing his marvellous idea. He had ambush plans in place to capture anyone who went back to the arena to rescue him. He was just waiting on news of their appearance to send them in to get them. He didn't care if they were dead or alive. He wanted the glory of killing off the rebellion once and for all. It was that old American pride driving him and his men to chase after something the rest of his commanders weren't so sure about. He had an instinct for these sort of things, and his instinct was telling him there was an organised rebellion.

The general turned to find one of his men, waiting to speak to him. The general straightened and leaned his elbows on his desk.  
"Situation?"

"Sir, there are reports of rebels in the vicinity of the glass house. The men are waiting for your orders to attack," the soldier said.

"How many?" the general said.

"No more than 20, sir. We're not sure any more are coming. There are no reports of any further unusual activity around suspected rebel hideouts. That may be all there is, sir," the soldier said.

"Tell the men to fire warning shots, but don't kill or blow their brains out or use them as target practice. I just want to scare them now. Maybe if there's more, they'll go back and warn them. Oh, and give them this message," the general said, taking out an envelope and handing it to the soldier. "Make sure the most senior ranking guy gets it."

"Yes, sir. I'll deliver this personally," the soldier said.

"Good man. Dismissed," the general said, sitting back as the soldier saluted and left.

* * *

With Craig and Matt carried back to trucks and driven back to the haven, the real work could begin. More had arrived to help with the rescue, and they were now shifting through the rubble of what was left of the arena, searching for survivors. Planes and choppers could still be heard in the distance, but they didn't appear to be getting closer, so Wil felt they were probably safe for now.

"Don't waste time, guys. I don't want us here all night. Leave the dead. If there are any survivors, get them out of here. That's our priority for now, okay?" Wil said, pushing away a small slab of concrete to see if there was anyone there.

"Wil! Someone over here! I got three injured!" Hamish called. He'd stayed back with Tim to search the rubble.

Wil made his way over to where Hamish was pulling aside glass, metal and concrete, trying to free the people below. A few more came to the call, helping to dig them out. Gradually, they were able to free them and assess how badly injured they were. One woman died soon after she was free, but the other two, one female fullwing and a human male, managed to stay alive, in spite of heavy bleeding, and crushed limbs. They were carefully rushed back to the trucks to be taken away and looked after.

The search continued until the gunfire began. They'd rescued a further eight people, and lost another seven. The rest were already dead. It wasn't intense fire, but there were random shots all over the place, making them jumpy. That they weren't aimed at any of them made them suspicious.

"Wil, I think we should get out of here!" Hamish called, dodging a bullet that hit near his feet.

"That's probably a good idea. I think we've got everything we can from here," Wil said.

Wil made his way over to Tim just as a soldier landed on the roof, having been winched down by a chopper. He stood there unarmed, holding an envelope out towards them.

"Okay, what the fuck do you want?" Wil said, cautious about trusting him.

"I'm just the messenger, sir. I was told to give you this," the soldier said.

Wil took the letter, though remained deeply suspicious about it. He'd make sure to have it thoroughly checked out for anything dangerous before he opened it. He didn't trust that it was just an innocuous letter.

The soldier disappeared and the gunfire continued, increasing their shots as they tried to run the rebels off the ruined arena.

"Okay, now I really think we should go. Come on, let's go grab Hamish and get out of here," Wil said, slipping the letter inside his jacket.

They ran over the rubble together, grabbing Hamish by the arms just as a hail of gunfire landed at their feet behind them. Wil and Tim quickly took off, heading for the trucks and safety. Hamish shut his eyes tightly, still not used to flying like this. Then it was a rush as they all bundled into the trucks and drove off into the night, trying to escape the gunfire that followed them.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue attempt is made, though Adam finds himself a little worse for wear, and Andy and Ruby finally arrive at the safe haven, leaving Hamish and Andy to have their so-sweet-it'll-kill-you reunion.

Adam opened his eyes to find himself in another room. It was dark. He couldn't really hear anything. Everything ached. He seemed to be lying on his side. His wings felt odd. He tried to reach a hand around to feel them, but found his arms wouldn't move and that they were locked together. It took a lot of effort to lift his head to look at his hands, but his eyes wouldn't focus, and all he could determine was that they must be bound with something. They felt kinda numb, but then everything felt torn between aching pain or numbness, so he wasn't really sure what had happened to him. He let his head fall back onto whatever he was lying on, exhausted. He thought he heard the door open, but didn't bother looking to see. His head felt far too sore and heavy to bother. Whatever they'd done to him, it felt worse than a hangover. Then someone was doing something with his hands. He couldn't tell what. He tried to speak, but his voice refused.

"Shh, be quiet, sir. If you're to fly out of your cage, you need to be quiet," said a small voice.

Adam managed a groan, not sure what the voice meant. The voice seemed to be whispering harshly. Where the hell was he? Why did he feel like he'd been run over by a truck?

"Please, don't make any sound. Do you think you can walk?" the voice said.

Adam had no idea. He didn't think so. He couldn't even see the person who the voice belonged to. Then something freezing cold ran up his arm, hitting his brain hard, and suddenly, things got louder, as if someone had just taken plugs out of his ears. His head ached at the sudden increase in noise. He shut his eyes tight, trying to will the pain away. He tried to speak again, and was surprised to find his voice behaving itself.

"Do I look like - I'm in any - fit state - to walk?" Adam heard himself whispering, the words not coming out quite as smoothly as he'd hoped.

"You'll feel better in a few minutes. They drugged you badly. Do you remember where you are?" the voice said.

"Room. Dark. Pain," was all Adam could remember.

"Shit. They must've given you that new stuff. I'm not sure my antidote will work. I'll have to get you carried out of here. Hang in there," the voice said.

Adam vagued out, not really listening to the voice hurriedly talking to itself, or to someone else, it was hard to tell. Then there were hands, and they were rolling him onto something hard, and then he was plunged into darkness again. He was vaguely aware of movement, that he was being moved somewhere, but his mind was too unfocussed to concentrate on it. He may have heard other voices around him, outside, but he couldn't tell. Everything sounded muffled. Then they were lifting him onto something else, and then he was moving faster, or so he thought. Maybe he was in the back of a truck. It quite possibly sounded like a truck, not that Adam could tell. Suddenly, there was light all around him and he looked up and thought he saw a face staring down at him. He wasn't sure. He still couldn't focus on it properly.

"W-Where are-"

The face pressed a finger against Adam's lips, telling him to be silent.

"They think we're taking the prisoners to be executed. They think you're still in your cell. We had do to this. We're all fucking sick of this. We just want the fighting to stop. We want our country back, just like you do. There are enough of us to help boost your numbers, if you want our help. We can get you better weapons and we have access to areas you'd have a hard time getting into. But that's all for later. Where are your people?" the face said. Adam thought it was the same voice as before, but he couldn't tell.

"H-haven, sector-sector something. Warehouse." Adam could normally remember where the haven was, but his brain was stubbornly refusing to find the information for him. He could see it in his mind, but he couldn't remember where it was.

"Most likely in the old part of town, probably somewhere we don't go. See if there's a large abandoned warehouse in the outer city. Check the restricted areas first," the face said, apparently talking to someone else. "Now, let me see if you can't help me here," the face said to Adam, touching two fingers to Adam's forehead.

Adam gasped at the sudden burning pain in his head, closing his eyes tight. He felt blinded. In his mind, a probe of red-tinged light was coming towards him, weaving its way around his mind. It behaved as if it was searching for something. His mind was suddenly stuck on the haven, it filled his mind's vision, as the light probed him to remember. His brain ached again, his temples throbbing, his third eye felt as if it was going to explode.

"Restricted area 6. Formerly sector 17. Down by the flour mills. Used to be one of our buildings. Tell Fitzy to get moving. We need to head west," the face said.

And suddenly the burning pain was gone as the face removed the fingers from him. Adam's head fall back against whatever it was he was in, headache worse than before. Then he was in darkness again.

The caravan of army trucks made their way through the city until there was a sudden lurch and the truck Adam was in came to a halt. He knew this because he bumped his head on whatever it was behind him as the truck stopped. He thought he heard yelling, or some sort of commotion outside, before loud thumping. Someone was getting onto the back of the truck with him, or something. Why were they picking up someone? Adam had little time to contemplate this when there was bright light again and two faces peering down at him. Then there were hands grabbing his face, pulling him up, and then – a kiss? Who was this person? Adam was too tired to work anything out further. Then the person who'd kissed him hugged him tight, and Adam thought he should know who this was, but he couldn't think of anyone then.

"What's wrong with him? Is he alright?" another voice said. Adam thought he should recognise it, and it did seem familiar. He couldn't work out who it belonged to though.

"They drugged him with this new stuff. Knocks you out real bad. I had an antidote to the other drugs they use, but not this one. The only thing we can do is let him sleep it off and hope he'll be alright when he gets over it. I didn't have time to look over the test results before this one was being used on prisoners. I have no idea what kind of side effects it'll have. I do know it was designed specifically for you guys, and that in itself scares me. I don't know how long it's supposed to last. I'm scared for him. He doesn't look like he's improved at all since I gave him the antidote. How far are we from the safe haven?" said the face, presumably the same face that had been there before.

"Not far. Good thing you caught us now. We were just on our way over to break everyone free," the second face said.

"You'd have been too late. The general ordered this done very quickly. He was expecting you. We had to get you all out of here. We got as many as we could before we were discovered. Then they started shooting. We had to leave the rest and save the ones we could. The other survivors are in the other trucks. Some were drugged, but they didn't get the new stuff like Adam did, so they'll be fine. But we need to get moving. I don't know how long it'll be before they track us down. I want us hidden before then," the face said.

"Yeah, we'd better hurry. I think I can hear the planes in the distance. Get everyone moving," the second face said and vanished from view.

Adam was plunged into darkness again, and soon the trucks started moving again. Adam wasn't sure how long they drove for this time, but the trucks stopped at some point and Adam felt himself being carried again. Then there was light again and he was being hauled out of whatever it was he was in and laid on what he assumed was a bed.

Then there were more faces he couldn't focus on and more voices he didn't recognise, even though he thought he should be able to. Someone was lying on top of him, or it felt like someone was. His whole body felt like it was made of lead anyway, and with his eyes unable or unwilling to focus on anything, there might not be anyone lying on top of him at all. But it was the voice crying into his ear that suddenly but briefly threw the weight off his mind. That voice he knew, and he knew who it belonged to.

"God, what have they done to you? I missed you so much. I was so scared they'd killed you, or – you know, did what they did to-" the voice trailed off, and Adam knew he knew that voice and who the voice was referring to.

"Hamish," Adam forced himself to say, wanting him to know he knew he was there. He wanted to hold him back but his arms felt like they'd been tied down.

"You have to be alright. I need you to be alright," Hamish whispered, giving his neck soft kisses. He was so relieved to have him back.

"Hamish, I-" Adam couldn't make any other words come out.

"Shh, it'll be alright, I promise," Hamish whispered.

Adam used all his strength to raise an arm, resting his hand in the small of Hamish's back. It felt good to touch him. It felt like things were going to be alright. As much as he fought to remain conscious, he found himself slipping into unconsciousness again, Hamish's voice fading away into silence. Then there was only darkness.

* * *

_Adam found himself standing in total blackness. Nothing seemed to be around him. He heard laughter, the sort of laughter that wasn't happy laughter. Sinister laughter. It echoed all around him. Adam turned around, trying to see where the laughter was coming from. He looked everywhere, trying to fight his panic._

_Then the darkness faded as a red sun rose, revealing what looked like a battle field. Adam squinted against the light, saw the thousands of soldiers lined up, ready to attack._

_Adam was utterly alone._

_He looked down and saw who he assumed was Sepulchre kneeling on the ground, a foot chained to a stake plunged into the earth._

_Adam noticed a small group break away from the main regiments and march over to Seb. Adam instinctively reached for his weapons, but found himself unarmed. All he had were his bare hands. But there were at least 12 of them marching towards him, making a tight circle around him. There was no way he could fight off all 12 of them on his own._

_"Seb, come on Seb, get up. We have to get away from here," Adam said, kneeling down to grab the stake holding Seb's foot. He was shocked to find his fingers slid right through it._

_Adam backed away, seeing them getting closer. Adam walked over to them, and almost yelped in fright as they walked right through him._

_Then Seb was surrounded and the soldiers formed a tight circle around him. Adam could tell exactly what they were doing, and he didn't want to stay and watch, but what could he do? He waked over to the soldiers again and passed through them, peering over one's shoulder to watch, already sickened._

_Seb's hands were pulled behind his back harshly, there were hands and bodies everywhere, and then the pain came. They were beating him, using the butts of their rifles, their boots, their fists, whatever could reach. They were pulling on his wings, hitting them, breaking the delicate bones, sending pain shooting right into his back. Before Adam could turn away, they were hacking his wings off. Adam's screams were lost in the soldiers' laughter. And then Seb looked up, straight up, eyes boring into Adam's, but it wasn't Seb staring back at him, it was himself. That was Adam's face twisted in agony, his eyes pleading for death._

_Adam recoiled in shock, wanting to be sick. He found himself feeling dizzy, and he was unconscious before he hit the ground, spiralling into darkness again._

* * *

Hamish glanced up at Adam when he felt him shudder, hoping he was waking up, but nothing had changed. He was as unconscious as he was before. Hamish squeezed his hand tightly, scared that he would never wake up. Wil glanced over at Hamish, knowing he was just as scared as he was.

"He has to wake up. He just has to. He can't leave me now," Hamish whispered, lifting Adam's hand up to kiss it softly.

"He'll wake. He'd better. I won't lose him too. I couldn't save Seb, but fucked if I won't save Adam. I won't let him die. Not now. Not after everything we've been through," Wil said.

Hamish cringed at the determination in Wil's voice. He knew that being human, without wings, he would always be apart from Adam. It was just one aspect that he would never understand. He had grown to accept this over the time they'd known each other, but it still hurt to acknowledge that Wil, Tim, hell even Craig, all shared something with Adam he would never be able to share. They bonded in a way he would never experience.

"I know you love him, Wil. Adam thinks I don't know, but I do," Hamish murmured.

"Everyone fucking loves him, Hamish. Don't you get it? Everyone fucking loves him. He has to wake up because there's no one else here that commands the respect of every single person here like he does, not even Julian, and we'll be annihilated without him. We need him more than he realises," Wil said, determined to keep his emotions in check.

"I… didn't mean like that. I meant-"

"Leave it, Hamish. Just – forget about it. Just know that whatever rumours you've heard, he loves you. Believe me. He would die for you moreso than for anyone else here. Don't you ever doubt his loyalty to you. Ever. I'd give anything to be loved that much by someone. Consider yourself blessed to be granted such a thing in a world that's so full of hate," Wil said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you or-"

"Leave it. Cherish what you have now. Nothing in this world is guaranteed. If there's only piece of decent advice I give you, it's prepare yourself in case he's taken from you. This is our final battle, our last chance to be free. If we fail, there won't be a next time. There won't be any of us left to fight. So just – just be careful. There is no such thing as a bloodless war. All we can do is minimise the death count. Everything else is in the hands of the Gods," Wil said.

"You still believe in gods? What's the point? Where are they? Everything in my life leads me to believe they've abandoned us, and I wouldn't blame them if they had," Hamish said, voice full of spite.

"Seb was all I needed to know the Gods are still with us," Wil murmured.

"Seb is not a god, as much as he was treated like one. He was human like us," Hamish said.

"Yeah, he was human, I won't deny that. But he taught me to see hope in everything, even if everything is covered in darkness. That's all I needed to know. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a God. Christ, you don't realise just how revered he was. He was a fucking legend to us growing up. He was the one lone voice speaking out, the only one who cared. Hell, our parents knew about him. He's the one figure in the history of fullwings that won't go away. He's always there. It's as if he really is a God. How else could be have lived and survived for so long? Nothing else makes sense. Somehow, a God decided to take care of us. I don't know how or why or anything, just that it's the only explanation that makes sense," Wil said.

"I never heard anything about him growing up, nothing but vague rumours. We weren't supposed to know anything about you apart from the fact that you were not to be trusted and that you weren't human and that you were all vicious killers waiting to kill us humans off and take over the country. Heh, they weren't half wrong, were they?" Hamish said with a repressed laugh.

"But still not half right either. Fear mongering has done nothing to solve matters, just divide us further," Wil said.

"I know. It sucks. Adam's going to die, isn't he? I mean, not now, but like, you know-"

"I don't know. Maybe he is. Maybe he won't. Maybe it'll be me or Craig. Maybe it'll be you. What happens, happens," Wil said.

"Hmm. I just wish he'd wake up," Hamish said.

"Me too. We need him. We're falling apart without him," Wil said, grasping Adam's other hand and squeezing it between his hands.

"Melodramatic much? He's gone one day and you're panicking already?" Tim said, approaching the bed to check on them.

"Oh, Tim, how long have you been there?" Wil said, turning to face him.

"Long enough. He'll be alright, you know. He's strong. He's not going to give up, not when there's so much work to do," Tim said, resting a hand on Wil's shoulder.

"He'd better not. No one cages me like he does," Wil said, reaching up to rest a hand on Tim's.

Hamish remained silent, not wanting to get bitching about Wil's implied words now. Not when Adam's lying there helpless. Hamish crawled onto the bed and curled up next to Adam, careful not to disturb him. Adam shuddered again in his sleep and Hamish wondered what on earth he was dreaming about.

* * *

Ruby and Andy rode through the night. Much as Ruby wanted them to arrive before dawn, hold-ups and other raids on suburbs slowed them down, forcing them to stop and hide until the danger passed. It just made Andy even more anxious. By the time they finally arrived at the safe haven, the sun was up, and death stunk in the air.

Ruby and Andy were stopped by guards, making sure no one unwelcomed was let into the camp. It was a huge warehouse complex, one that looked run down and disused. It was a very clever guise for a safe haven. There were no indications of habitation anywhere in sight. Andy was impressed. He'd never been to the safe havens before. He wasn't expecting them to be so… perfectly disguised.

"Who are you and what's your business here?" one of the guards said, making sure his weapon was visible.

"I'm Ruby, and this is – what's your name again?" Ruby said.

"Andy Lee. I was one of the spies in the Army for you, but I was forced out and into hiding. I'm looking for Hamish," Andy said.

"You're not expected, but come in anyway. Julian would like a word," the guard said after consulting with his superiors over his radio.

* * *

Dismounting, Ruby and Andy followed one of the guards into the warehouse while a second dealt with their horses. They were met by Chris, who had been sent by Julian to escort them.

"Well, you two chose the right moment to turn up, didn't you?" Chris said after dismissing the guard.

"What'd we miss? All we know is that they've begun rounding up halfwings and taking them away to prison camps," Andy said.

"You serious? Have they really started doing that?" Chris said.

"I saw it with my own eyes. We helped the wounded left behind after the Army was done with them. What's been going on here then?" Andy said.

"They raided the Glass House. Destroyed it completely. We had a lot of people either killed or arrested. Somehow, we managed to get most of those arrested back here, but it's been chaos. So many injured to deal with, and the deaths are excruciatingly painful. We'd better get going. Julian should hear about the raids on the halfwings," Chris said.

"Right. Can you get Hamish for me? I need to know he's alright. I've missed him terribly," Andy said.

"I'll take you through to Julian, then go tell Hamish you're here," Chris said.

"Thanks, mate," Andy said.

Chris leads them down to Julian's office, leaving them to update Julian on the situation outside, before heading back to find Hamish.

* * *

Chris finds him still sitting by Adam's side, clutching his hand tightly. Wil's with him as well. Adam still hasn't woken. Chris almost doesn't want to disturb their vigil, but he had promised he'd tell Hamish that Andy was here.

"Hamish, mate, you got a moment?" Chris said, stepping into the room.

"Uh, sure. Can't it wait? I don't want to leave him," Hamish said, unable to remove his gaze from Adam's still figure.

"Andy's here. He wanted me to let you know he'd arrived. He's in with Julian at the moment," Chris said.

Hamish turned to look at Chris, not quite believing what he'd just said. "Andy's here? Why? What's he doing here?"

"I don't know the full story, Ham. You'll have to go ask him," Chris said.

"Sorry, Adam, but Andy's here! Call me if he wakes, alright, Wil?" Hamish said as he got to his feet, reluctantly leaving Adam behind. "Take me to him, Chris."

* * *

Hamish could barely contain his excitement. Andy was here! Things would be alright now. Chris opened the door for him and Hamish bounded into Julian's office to embrace his best friend. All Andy heard was his name being called before Hamish flung himself at him, hugging him tightly.

"You're alive! You're fucking alive! Christ, I've missed you so much," Hamish said.

"Yeah, I'm here, mate. It'll be alright. I've missed you too. I didn't even know if you were alright. I'm never letting you out of my sight again," Andy said, hugging him back.

"I was with Adam. Of course I was gonna be alright, silly," Hamish said, pulling back to look at his face.

"I didn't know that, did I? I got to your apartment, after you'd left, and had no idea what had happened. There were two dead cops, and a warrant out for your arrest. God help me, I panicked. I was warned to keep my distance because we were mates. That's what made me flee and look for you. I decided I'd rather be with you than hauled in for interrogation," Andy said.

"I approve of your decision. I was scared I'd never see you again, and then Adam… Christ, so glad you're here," Hamish said, hugging Andy again.

"Yeah, Julian was just telling me about Adam and the raid. Is he going to be alright?" Andy said.

"I dunno, he's not awake yet. They drugged him badly, Andy. I don't know if he's going to wake up again," Hamish said, panic barely audible in his voice.

"Shh, he'll wake up. He won't go without you. It'll be alright. You'll see," Andy said, rubbing his back in a bid to comfort him.

"Hamish, much as I don't want to interrupt your reunion, we were in the middle of a meeting, you know. You're welcome to stay, but we do have a lot to discuss," Julian said, interrupting them.

"Christ, sorry Jules. Want me to go?" Hamish said, half-pulling away from Andy.

"No, you can stay if you like. I'm assuming Wil's staying with Adam still. We just need to get on with things," Julian said.

"Wil's with Adam, yes. I might stay for a while. Don't feel ready to leave him yet," Hamish said, taking Andy's hand in his.

"Do you need me still? Because I would like to return to my people," Ruby said, getting to her feet.

"I strongly suggest you stay here, but if you must go, you're free to go. Unless there's something important you need to tell me, then you're welcome to leave. Ignore what Wil says. You and your people will always be welcome here if you need shelter. You've served us well in the past, and we're grateful. If you ever need us, call us," Julian said.

"At least you are a civil human being. I will go. Andy can tell you everything you need to know. I've been gone long enough. Thank you for the offer," Ruby said.

"Safe journey, Ruby," Julian said.

Ruby nodded to Julian as she left, leaving them behind. She knew Julian knew that she'd flee anyway, even if she was forced to stay here. He understood her. Wil had tried to keep her captive, but he hadn't succeeded. Wil didn't understand gypsies. Gypsies always fly away. One can never contain them.

Andy gazed after her as she left, realising he knew as much about her as when he'd first met her. He wondered if she'd take his horse with her as well. Hamish grabbed his arm gently to bring his attention back to their meeting.

"She's a good woman," Andy said.

"Yeah, she is. I've known her for many years. Good people," Julian said.

"Well, I'm officially dead now. It feels less weird than I thought it would," Andy said.

"We'll get you new ID. If we'd known you were coming, we'd have it ready for you, but you did arrive out of nowhere. I suppose there wasn't any chance to contact us before you fled, was there?" Julian said.

"I was never allowed to know that stuff in case I was suspected and interrogated. That's why Ruby took me here. I didn't know where to go to find you, and with Hamish gone, I was on my own," Andy said.

"So tell me about what you saw. Did you know of any plans to start rounding up halfwings?" Julian said.

"I only knew of it in whispers, rumours, that sort of thing. It had been around for years, but no one seriously believed they'd actually ever act on it. It was deemed too politically damaging to go rounding up half the population and either killing them or working them to death. It was my unit that I saw that first time. My comrades. Men I'd served with for years. There they were, rounding up halfwings and shoving them in the back of trucks. They fired on the people as they left to stop them following. I've never felt so ashamed to be a soldier in my life. Ruby and I went to look after the injured. We spent as much time as we could, mobilising the people and treating the injured, until they could fend for themselves. There was nothing else to do. The Army went from suburb to suburb, gathering up men, women and children and terrorising those left behind. I'm sure this is only the beginning. There were reports of the Army finally paying attention to all the restricted zones in case they housed rebels. Apparently, they're gunning them all to the ground in a bid to wipe out the rebellion before it even has a chance to mobilise. I suspect you'll be having a visit soon enough, but I can't say when. I don't even know how much they know about you guys. But be prepared. It might be wise to look into somewhere to flee, should you be forced to run from here," Andy said.

"So that was the shelling we heard a couple of nights ago. I wondered what that was. That isn't good news at all. Anything else you can tell us?" Julian said.

"That's about it. I don't know their plan of attack. I didn't know they were going to start attacking restricted zones until I heard it from some of the people we were helping. They could attack now, or tomorrow, or maybe even in a week's time. I just don't know," Andy said.

"I'll get onto it right away. I think that's all for now. I've got too many things to do. Thanks for the information, Andy. I doubt we'd know about it if you hadn't come here. You can go catch up with Hamish now," Julian said.

"Glad to be of service. I'm ready and willing to fight beside you, should you need me," Andy said, getting to his feet.

"Thanks. We need all the men we can get," Julian said.

"Come on, Andy. Let's get out of here," Hamish said, tugging on Andy's wrist.

"Alright, alright, seeya Julian. It seems I'm needed elsewhere," Andy said with a laugh as Hamish pulled him out of Julian's office.

"Oh, you are never leaving my sight again," Hamish said as he pulled Andy back towards his room.

* * *

Hamish pulled Andy down onto the couch for yet another hug. He had quite given up hope of ever seeing him again, and now that he was back in his arms, he wasn't sure he ever wanted to let him go. Sure, Hamish loved Adam with all his heart, but his life just wasn't complete without Andy. Hamish pinned him down as he hugged him, not wanting to let him go.

"Don't you ever leave me again, okay?" Hamish said.

"I won't, not if I can help it," Andy said. "God, I love you. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too. Hey, did… Did your scar itch or something? Cos mine did," Hamish said.

"On my palm? Yeah, it did tingle a bit. I thought it was just stress or something," Andy said.

"Mine itched really badly. I wondered if it was because I was missing you or something. It made me think of you all the time it was itching," Hamish said.

"Perhaps we shared more than just our blood that afternoon," Andy said.

"Perhaps we did. Sounds silly, doesn't it? Maybe we're both just imagining it," Hamish said.

"Maybe we're just that close," Andy said, meshing their fingers together as their scars met once more. He wasn't trying to be sappy, but Hamish meant the world to him. He hoped Hamish knew that.

"Whoa. Can you feel that heat as well?" Hamish said, surprised by the growing heat between their clasped palms.

"I can, yeah. Wow. You know I love you, don't you?" Andy said.

"Yeah, I know you do. I love you too. I'm quite sure I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you," Hamish said.

"No, I mean it. I – love you. I know you love Adam, but I just… I don't know if I'll ever have another chance to tell you that, and I wanted you to know before the war comes," Andy said.

"You love me? I never realised. You know I belong to Adam. I'm sorry," Hamish said.

"I knew from when we were kids. But I knew you'd never be mine. Just know I love you completely, and that I would die to save your life. I've long accepted it wouldn't be reciprocated, but I thought it was time I actually told you," Andy said.

Hamish sat up and looked down at him curiously. He wasn't sure what to say now. Now that he thought about it, he had suspected Andy was in love with someone, but somehow, he'd failed to realise it was him. He had to admit he was rather taken with Andy's admission. Suddenly, everything Andy had ever done for him seemed even more important.

"Have I freaked you out? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," Andy said.

"It's just… I honestly never realised you loved me that way. Have you really felt that way since we were kids?" Hamish said.

"I have, yes, ever since I cut those scars into our hands. In a way, it's a bond that surpasses love. You're everything to me. I can't live without you. But I don't feel jealous because you're with Adam, because I know you two love each other, and Adam would protect you with his life. That brings me comfort," Andy said.

"How can you love me that much yet not be jealous?" Hamish said.

"Because I care more about you than I do about myself, and I know you're well loved and protected," Andy said.

"So glad you came back. I really hated calling you like that, you know. Kinda glad you didn't answer though. I really would have fallen to pieces then and that wouldn't have been pretty," Hamish said.

"Nah, I was too drunk to answer it in time so I stayed there listening to it. I never deleted it. I couldn't bring myself to delete it. I kept the tape in case my flat was searched. I was the one who fell to pieces. I sat there replaying that message, bawling my eyes out. I didn't want to let you go," Andy said.

"Aww, that's so sweet. See, you do have a feminine side after all. I thought you did," Hamish said, poking Andy in the ribs.

"Hey! I was really upset! I thought I'd never see you again," Andy said, trying to reach up to tickle Hamish.

Hamish squirmed and tried to tickle back. Andy got the better of him and soon they were both rolling on the floor together, laughing as Andy tickled him. And when Andy caught his lips in a kiss, Hamish's resistance lasted mere nanoseconds before he gave in to Andy. Andy had Hamish pinned to the floor, not sure where his sudden urge to kiss him had come from. Hamish's lack of resistance spurred him on.

Soon, they lay there in each other's arms, exchanging soft kisses and gentle caresses, drowning in each other's company. Andy tenderly brushed some hair out of Hamish's eyes.

"I'm so glad you're here," Hamish said again, lost for any other words to say to him.

"Me too. Sorry for the kisses. I hope you're not offended or anything," Andy said.

"Nah, it's okay. If it was anyone else, I'd complain, but you, you can kiss me as much as you like. You're more than a friend, or a lover or anything else. Therefore you get special priviledges," Hamish said with a wide grin.

"Does that make me more special than Adam then?" Andy said.

"As much as it pains me to say so, but yes. Because I can't live without you. I need you in a way I don't need Adam," Hamish said, feeling a little regret for saying such things about his love, but he wouldn't lie to Andy.

Andy smile and kissed Hamish again, slower and lingering, a hand wrapping around behind Hamish's head and burying in his hair. Hamish holds him close, more content than he'd ever been before in his life. Now that Andy was here, everything would be fine.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Devoid of Caleb and angry at Julian, Craig runs into Andrew and drags him off for sex. Afterwards, Andrew begins to break down Craig's barriers to discover the cause of his angst.

Craig stormed out of the meeting, slamming the door closed behind him. He was insulted and angry at Julian's lack of trust in him. He'd as good as been labelled a traitor. What was worse was having so-called friends siding with Julian. People he'd known for years were turning against him. He wondered if they'd still have said the same things if Wil and Adam were there. As it was, Adam was still unconscious, and Wil and Hamish hadn't left his side. Well, not until Andy came back, then Hamish and his fucking twin couldn't be fucking separated. Julian had told them things would continue as normal, as they couldn't afford to put things on hold, not even for Adam.

Craig wondered if anyone cared that he had been hurt as well, had nearly died trying to escape from the raid on The Glass House. Julian hadn't, and had told him off for being selfish, irresponsible, reckless and stupid as soon as he'd been discharged from their makeshift medical ward. Caleb had argued for him, he'd even yelled at Julian, but that had only angered him further. It was clear that Julian resented having Caleb around, and Craig wondered if it was because he knew where Craig had gotten the money from to pay for his freedom.

_Fuck him! Fuck him and his stupid rebellion. They're all fucking traitors!_

Craig stalked through the warehouse, needing to work off his anger somehow. He was angrier still that Caleb wasn't around to help. Julian had sent him on an errand up north gathering weapons contacts for the rebellion. Craig thought it was punishment for arguing with him. He'd have at least a week on his own before Caleb returned. If Caleb returned. There was every possibility Julian had arranged this to get Caleb out of the way. Craig wondered if he could escape if cornered. Caleb, in spite of the hard life he'd led, didn't know how to fight that well, not like Craig did.

But then, that's all he was. Craig was a soldier, built to fight, nothing more. Mere military equipment. His ancestors had been trained to fly and fight and kill from a very early age, brought up to be warriors for their Masters, to die for their Masters to save their own people from having to fight unwinnable wars around the globe. Cannon fodder. Disposable. Caged and forced to mate to produce more soldiers to be sent out to die. Put down when they were beyond help. Left out in the battle field to die. The legacy of his ancestors, few generations that they were, would haunt him until he died. It did nothing to endear him to humanity, especially since they were not considered human in the eyes of the law. He had heard the stories growing up, had detested humans with a passion, vowing to seek revenge. He hated humans as much as humans hated him. He hated having to work with humans, even if they were rebels just like him. They lacked the capacity to understand just what they'd done to him and his kind over the decades, a source of constant frustration and anger.

He came to a stop in one of the corridors, not sure where to go. He stood there, staring at the ground, fists clenched, trying to calm down. His wings were beating agitatedly. His own kind were turning against him. They might as well have stabbed him in the back for all they cared. He was even more annoyed that he could tell his body had just entered another period of hyper-arousal again, and with no Caleb, he'd have to find someone else to fuck, and with the way everyone was behaving towards him, that would not be easy, but as long as they were compliant, he didn't really care who he got.

"Wonderful. Angry _and_ horny. Just what I need. Fuck! Filthy humans. How dare they talk to me of betrayal? If I had my way, I'd purge this rebellion of every human we have. They don't deserve to be fighting with us," Craig said through gritted teeth.

"You're as bad as they are. We're not going to get anywhere with that attitude, Craig."

Craig looked up and saw Andrew standing there in front of him. "Shut up. I've already been destroyed. What do I care what you think? You're Julian's pawn as far as I'm concerned." Craig paused momentarily, considering Andrew standing before him. "Fuck it. You're coming with me. If I don't fuck someone now, I'm gonna go mad," he said, as he grabbed his wrist hard, yanking him towards him.

"I take it I don't have a choice in the matter," Andrew said, not sure he should be pleased about this arrangement or not.

"No choice. Blame Julian for sending my boy away," Craig growled and pulled him forward again as he strode down the hall.

"I'll be sure to take it up with him later," Andrew said as he tried to keep up with him.

Craig grunted, half-hearing his answer. The only thing he was fixated on was sex now that he'd found someone to fuck. Andrew flinched as Craig stormed into his quarters, shoving the door aside as if it didn't exist. Craig led Andrew to the bedroom and threw him inside, locking the door behind him as he stalked forward, watching Andrew scurry onto the bed, unsure if he was eager or terrified, unable to care either way.

Craig wasted no time getting naked. He needed this far too much to bother with niceties. He did, however, grab the set of manacles and the collar attached to them from the dresser against the wall, wrapping the chain around his hand as he approached. This was going to last a while and he needed to have Andrew completely at his mercy. This was the only way he knew that would keep him under control.

"What's with the manacles, Craig?" Andrew said, slightly concerned that there could be more than just sex involved.

"You submit to me. This is going to be a long ride for you, my friend. I don't want any trouble, or you will get hurt, filthy human," Craig hissed.

"What's going on? Is there something I should know?" Andrew said, trying to ignore the harsh insult Craig threw in at the end.

"Can't you smell it? It's all your fault. Your kind created us. I didn't ask for a period of hyper-arousal every two fucking months or so. I didn't ask to be hunted down like some sort of pest, to be seen as not human by the very people who made us," Craig said.

"Alright, alright. I get your point. Calm down, if you can. Just- try not to hurt me too much. I'm not as robust as Caleb is," Andrew said.

That permission sent Craig into overdrive, if that was even possible. He growled as he crawled onto the bed, keeping his eyes pinned on Andrew, making sure he knew who was in charge. Andrew lay down obediently as Craig leant over him. The utter tension in the room was stifling. Craig pinned his shoulders into the bed, using his body to hold him still, refusing to let him overpower him, even though that was unlikely. He leant down and nibbled on Andrew's ear, trying to resist the urge to actually hurt him. Craig wasn't that sadistic, or at least, he didn't think he was, but then again, he'd had more than his fair share of mistreatment at the hands of humans, and now, with a human at his mercy, anything could happen. The dark tortured creature within was always begging to be let out.

"Don't you dare fight me, Andrew. I'm strong enough to kill you," Craig whispered harshly.

"I wasn't going to fight you, Craig," Andrew said, well aware that he couldn't really do much anyway.

"Just do what I say and you won't get hurt," Craig said, sucking on his neck hard.

"This is just going to be sex, right?" Andrew said, suddenly not so sure he wanted to be there.

"Well, just having you tied up here won't do anything to get rid of my lust, therefore I need to fuck you," Craig said.

"And how long is this going to last exactly?" Andrew said.

"Until it's over. Now shut up and let me restrain you. You're mine until I release you," Craig said, grabbing Andrew's wrists as he sat up, straddling his hips to keep him down still.

Andrew watched in silence as Craig secured the manacles and the collar on him, filled with nervous anticipation. He'd never seen Craig so… predatory before. It was the glint in his eyes that made him compliant. Craig was clearly determined to get his way, no matter what. It seemed easier to just go along with things. Once secured, Craig pulled him up into a bruising kiss.

"Touch the fucking wings and I'll fucking kill you, bitch," Craig added before kissing him again.

Andrew didn't doubt him. Craig was rather protective of his wings.

Breaking the kiss, Craig lay him down on his back again and attacked his jeans, desperate to fuck him. Finally naked, Craig wasted little time in preparation before he couldn't hold back any longer, wrapping Andrew's legs around his waist as he thrust into him. Andrew could do nothing but lie back and take it as Craig pressed him into the bed again.

Craig obsessed over his neck, licking and sucking the skin, nipping at his ear lobe, drawn to the heat of the blood pouring through his jugular vein. He almost regretted collaring him, since it restricted his access to his neck. Craig bit his neck hard, trying not to pierce skin and kill him, trying to relieve his anger by making Andrew hurt. Andrew could hear him growling harshly in his ear. It seemed to be the only way Craig could communicate now. Words were useless. Growling, snarling, hissing and grunting seemed to make so much more sense.

Craig was fuelled by desperation, digging his fingers into Andrew's shoulders hard. He was beginning to lose control. He was finally dealing with his lust. Nothing else mattered. His wings beating behind him add power to his thrusting, leaving Andrew squirming beneath him, his hands pushing against his chest.

It didn't take Craig long to come considering how worked up he was. Andrew soon realised just how long this would take. Craig was nowhere near done with him yet. It was going to be a long night. Craig pulled him into heated kisses every now and then, emerging from his lust-induced trance long enough to make sure Andrew got something out of it.

* * *

Andrew was exhausted by the time dawn came. Craig had been rather physical with him, and he was sure he had bruises and bite marks all over him. He'd finally convinced Craig to let him rest and get him something to eat, so Craig had left him for the moment to get food. The room was peaceful. Andrew was still in chains, but he didn't care. He lay back, staring at the ceiling, wincing at his aching body. He knew he was probably covered in bruises, and Chris would be horrified when he saw them, but what could he do? He'd have to find a way to convince Chris not to kill Craig because of it.

Craig soon returned, clambering onto the bed as he tried not to drop what he was carrying. He settled beside Andrew, placing the food next to him.

"You alright?" Craig asked, seeing him lying there almost motionless.

"Yeah, I'll be alright. Just tired. Fuck, you should've warned me you wanted to fuck rough. I'd have gotten Chris to take my place," Andrew said, sitting up.

"Yeah, but I ran into you instead. All I was after was someone to fuck. Want some food?" Craig said, offering the plate to him.

"You brought meat?" Andrew said, amused but grateful nonetheless.

"Only thing I could get hold of this early in the morning. Sorry about that. I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?" Craig said.

"You forgot you weren't fucking Caleb, didn't you? I did warn you about that," Andrew said.

"I'm sorry. I'm just - I get so caught up in it all that I forget what's going on around me. It's a 'must satiate lust before brain explodes' type of thing. Once the sex starts, all I care about is getting off. Oh, want me to unchain you? Sorry, I should've asked first," Craig said, setting the meat down as he got up to retrieve the keys.

"No, no, it's alright, you don't have to," Andrew said.

"Here. Sorry about having to restrain you. They didn't hurt you, did they? Maybe I should get softer ones," Craig said, sliding back onto the bed to remove the manacles and the collar.

"They hurt a little, but it's not that bad. Thanks," Andrew said, rubbing his neck.

"Get under the covers, you must be freezing," Craig said, moving the plate of meat so he could lift up the covers.

"You're suddenly Mr Considerate, aren't you?" Andrew said as he slid beneath them, wanting to be warm.

"It's the least I can do for what I just put you through," Craig said, snuggling in beside him, setting the plate between them.

"Don't worry about it. I'll live. But you owe me for this," Andrew said, picking at the meat.

"I know. And I'm sorry about the insults before. I didn't mean them. I just… I got stuck in my head, and I'd fought with Julian too, and I had no right to take that out on you," Craig said.

"Don't worry about it. We all need some form of stress relief," Andrew said. "What did you mean when you said you'd already been destroyed?"

"I'd rather not discuss it. It's not something I talk about," Craig said, evasively.

"What did they do to you?" Andrew pressed, for no other reason than the phrase had been nagging at him all night.

"It's none of your business," Craig said.

"Why do you hate humans?" Andrew said.

"You know full well why I hate humans. I've hated them as long as I can remember. It's inexcusable what they did to my ancestors. I won't stand for it any longer. That's why I fight," Craig said.

"Where did you get that scar on your arm?" Andrew said, noticing the long scar cutting across his left arm.

"Battle wound, that's all. Got cut by some cunt of a cop trying to escape one night," Craig said.

"I don't remember that. Since when do cops carry knives?" Andrew said, unsure why he was still pressing the matter when it was clear Craig didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering him.

"It was a while ago. Look, will you leave it already? I don't want to discuss it," Craig said, giving him an angry stare.

"Alright, alright. Sorry. I'll drop the subject. I've hit a nerve," Andrew said, settling back to eating.

"Thanks. They're just… things I'd rather not talk about. I've seen far too much violence in my life. I envy humans who have never had to go to war," Craig said, fighting the memories away.

Andrew looked up at him, watching Craig staring at nothing. "Even warriors are allowed to feel, you know. You are human, aren't you?" he said softly, choosing his words carefully.

"I hate what they've made me. The cruelty of humanity is unmatched on this planet," Craig whispered.

Andrew reached out and grabbed his hand, bringing it up to kiss it gently. Craig looked over at him and smiled, squeezing his hand tightly.

"This human doesn't hate you," Andrew replied.

"Yeah, well, you're the only one who doesn't," Craig said.

"What about Julian?" Andrew said.

"What about Julian? He thinks he knows how to lead us but he has no right to be leading this rebellion. He's not even winged, for fuck's sake! How the hell does he know what I've been through? How can he know what they do to you when you're arrested? How can he know any of our suffering? It's just not right. A fullwing should be leading us, not Julian! I stand behind Adam and Wil and Tim, not Julian. They know what it's like to be a fullwing in this country, something Julian will never understand," Craig said.

"He's halfwing. Didn't you know that? His mother was a political activist, a fullwing. She was arrested one night and he was made to watch her being tortured for information. He was 14. He watched them drag her body away. He was left alone in their house. That was when he decided to fight, just like her. He had to live up to her name. He couldn't allow her death to not be avenged. That's why he leads us," Andrew said quietly.

"Shit. I never knew that, no. How was I supposed to know he was halfwing? He blends in too easily as human. He will never know what it's like to be tortured, though, and for that I'm grateful. The cops don't torture humans," Craig said.

"What are you talking about?" Andrew said.

"Winged humans and anyone with winged human blood, halfwings, are not legally considered humans of the species Homo sapiens, therefore the government can argue that we do not have any human rights and treat us accordingly. I don't have to tell you what that means for those arrested," Craig said.

"Those stories are true? I thought they were only rumours," Andrew said.

"They are real enough. You get frightened into remaining silent, and no one believes you for fear of being seen as a traitor. I would not curse these wings on anyone. They bring nothing but pain and suffering," Craig said, turning away from Andrew. He was beginning to get emotional. The memories churning around in his head were fighting not to be forgotten. Craig could feel the long-healed injuries beginning to ache again.

Andrew didn't speak immediately. "You were tortured, weren't you?" he said slowly, not sure if he'd drawn the right conclusion from his words.

"Only once, thank the Gods," Craig said.

"Do I even want to know what happened?" Andrew said, unsure if he wanted his question answered or not.

"I would rather not go through it again. Please, don't make me tell you," Craig said, and Andrew could see the tiniest spark of pain in his eyes.

"Only if you don't call me weak for not wanting to know. I've never been good at handling that sort of thing," Andrew said.

"Then I hope to God you are never tortured, because going through it is unimaginably worse," Craig said.

"I bet it is. I've been wondering why you're so jaded. I'm sorry if I've triggered anything bad. I didn't mean to upset you or anything," Andrew said, bringing his arm around Craig's shoulder.

"It's stupid, really. I've spent so many years with those memories. I want to remember because it reminds me why I fight, but remembering causes me pain still that makes me regret why I should even have to fight in the first place. I still don't know why they released me alive. It was at that moment that I swore to take down this Government. That's when I swore I'd destroy humanity even if it killed me. They should've killed me then instead of leaving me out here, filled with hatred. They have no idea what they've created," Craig said.

"Sometimes I wish you wouldn't let your hatred out so often. It hurts to see you so angry like that. Don't hate me because of what I am," Andrew said.

"I'm sorry. Sometimes I get so infuriated at how privileged you are because you're human. You don't realise how lucky you are. Everything is stacked against me. If I'm assaulted, I can't go to the cops and have the culprit arrested. I can't get any justice for the wrongs done to me because I'm outside the law. I'm not entitled to justice because of what I am. My kind are refused citizenship. We are cut off from society. It's not our fault we're seen as murdering dangerous beasts. That's how we're forced to live. We are forced to steal, kill and maim, just to survive. There is no escape. I wish you realised just how lucky you are. Hell, even halfwings can get citizenship if they have enough money. Fullwings have no chance at all. Even if I cut off my wings right now, my physique would give me away. There's absolutely no way I can ever be a citizen of the country I was born in, and that kills me more than anything. I will never be happy until I have my citizenship and this country has finally returned to its senses," Craig said.

"I'm sorry for what's been done to you. I would give you my citizenship right now if it meant you could get justice for what you've suffered. It kills me that they can do what they like to you, can deny your human rights, simply because of what you are," Andrew said, squeezing his hand again.

Craig didn't know how to respond to that. No one had ever offered him so much before. It was simply too great a gesture for him to comprehend. Andrew reached up and cupped his cheek, seeing him fighting back his tears. Andrew opened his arms to him as his resolve broke, resting his head against his shoulder.

"I'm a fucking mess, Andrew. I don't know if I can keep on fighting," Craig whispered, clutching onto him.

"Give up and they win. Just stay here with me. I'll look after you," Andrew said, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't leave me alone. I don't want to sleep alone," Craig said.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you now," Andrew said, holding him tightly.

The silence was broken by Chris bursting into the room, looking for Andrew. "Craig! What the-"

"Shh. Leave it, Chris. Now is not the time for this," Andrew said, glaring pointedly at Chris.

"Hey, is he alright?" Chris said, approaching the bed.

"No, he's not. Does he look alright?" Andrew said.

"What's he angsting about this time? Not missing Caleb, is he?" Chris said as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey, what happened to you? Did he beat you up or something?" Chris had noticed the bruises.

"No, nothing like that. He just needed me. I'll be alright. And what's wrong with him is far more than him simply missing Caleb. We've neglected him for far too long," Andrew said.

"I suppose you're not going to tell me what's wrong, are you?" Chris said.

"Now is not the right time. If he wants to tell you, that's his business," Andrew said.

"I don't so fuck off, Chris," Craig said.

"You'd better go. I might see you later," Andrew said.

"Alright then. So you won't be coming to the meeting at ten?" Chris said.

"I don't know. I don't think Craig's up for it. We'll see," Andrew said.

"Fair enough. See you round," Chris said as he got up and left, closing the door behind him.

"Don't make me go. I can't face them anymore," Craig whispered once they were alone.

"I won't force you to go if you don't want to. What should I tell Julian?" Andrew said.

"Whatever you like," Craig said.

Andrew held him tight, stroking his head softly as he listened to him cry. He wondered if Craig would ever be alright again.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew comforts Craig, Seb talks more indecipherable babble, and Craig learns about Andrew's dark side, the significance of which will be revealed in time.

Craig remained cuddled in Andrew's arms for some time until he'd calmed down. Andrew seemed to have infinite patience for him, though Craig didn't think he deserved it. He looked up at him, biting his bottom lip, ashamed at falling to pieces in front of him. He went to speak but Andrew gently pressed a finger against his lips.

"Don't say anything. You've got nothing to apologise for," Andrew said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to burden you like that," Craig said.

"Don't apologise. Feeling any better?" Andrew asked.

"A little, yeah. Gods, I wish Caleb were here," Craig said.

"Don't worry, I'll stay with you until he gets back," Andrew said.

"You don't have to do that. Chris needs you more than I do," Craig said.

"He hasn't been tortured. You need me more. Come on. Let's get up. A hot bath might do you some good," Andrew said.

"N-No, please, I'll be alright," Craig said, suddenly scared again.

"You can't run away forever. You haven't had a chance to deal with what you went through and it's about time you did. Come on," Andrew said, urging him to get up.

"No, I don't want to. Please, don't make me," Craig said.

"Do you want to be scared for the rest of your life? Do you really want to be troubled by nightmares? Come on, I know you. I'm offering a chance to find peace. Why wouldn't you want that?" Andrew said.

"I… I'm scared. You don't know what they did to me. Horrific things." Craig swallowed, clutching his knees to his chest.

"Living in fear isn't living at all. Come on, you need to heal," Andrew said gently, taking Craig's hand in his own. He wasn't ready to admit that he really did know what they'd done to him. Craig wasn't ready to hear that yet.

Craig stared at him, seeing the compassion in his eyes. He tried to speak, but couldn't find the right words.

"You've been hiding this for a long time. Don't you want someone else to shoulder the burden with you? Come on, Seb wants to talk to you," Andrew said.

"Seb? W-what are you talking about? Seb's dead," Craig said.

"Just come with me. I don't know why, he just said he wants to talk to you," Andrew said, pulling Craig to his feet.

* * *

Craig followed obediently, still shaken but curious as to what Seb might want with him. Andrew led him to the small shrine room Adam had said they could go to if they needed to talk to Seb. Opening the door, the heady smell of incense caressed them as they entered, even though there was no incense burning on the shrine. Andrew hung back by the door. Craig approached the shrine and curled up before it, not sure he was worthy enough to be here. He couldn't stop crying.

A warm hand reached down to touch Craig's shoulder, a hand that became solid the more it lingered there. "Andrew?" Craig said hesitatingly, lifting his head up slowly.

"Get up. I will not have you kneeling like a slave before me," came Seb's voice.

Craig sat up, unsure where the voice had come from. Had Andrew heard it too? Craig turned to see Andrew blissfully unaware of what was going on. Only then did Craig notice there was another presence in the room. Looking up, he saw the owner of the hand on his shoulder. Seb stood there smiling down at him, as real as if he was still alive. Craig got to his feet, unsure what to say to him. Seb grabbed his arms gently, no trace of anger in his expression.

"Seb? Is that really you?" Craig said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"It is, yes, although a mere figment of what I was before. I live, yet I do not live. I am trapped in this room. My guidance is still needed. How are you, my little devil? You were always the rogue one, weren't you?" Seb said.

"I should've been more faithful to the cause. I was divisive when I shouldn't have been, even after you died." It was all Craig trusted himself to say.

"What was done to you is in the past. It hurt, I know it hurts like poison in your veins, I know what they did to you, but seeing you now, you've let them win. The more you let it control you, the more you let them control you. The trauma will ache and burn and darkness will overcome you, but there is light, there is always light. Be brave, my little devil, and you shall have your vengeance. Already you begin to heal. Caleb will return to you soon enough. Share the burden inside you. You are not the only fullwing who has ever been tortured. You are lucky it hasn't destroyed you, or killed you. Do you not want the rock in your heart to be turned to fire, to life? You are broken, yes, but you can be fixed, and you will be or you will be destroyed completely," Seb said quietly, his words pounding into Craig's heart and mind. Seb touched a hand to his chest, over his heart, smiling down at him.

Craig covered his face as he began to cry again, still seeing himself as a failure. Seb brought him into his arms, holding him tightly. Craig wanted to speak, but words seemed inadequate. He didn't know what to say.

"And so it begins, my little devil. Be strong. Be brave. If you cannot be strong and brave, you will die. You are a warrior. I expect you to be one. Fight for our ancestors. Fight for our freedom," Seb said.

"How do I heal?" Craig whispered.

"Andrew and Caleb will know what to do. Trust them. They will help you, as will I. I cannot take your pain away, but I can help you heal. Now dry your tears. I must talk with Andrew as well," Seb said, letting go of Craig.

Craig backed off, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Seb turned to Andrew.

"Andrew, I only ask one thing of you. You must be strong for him. You will need to hear things that will sicken you. You will also be tested. I cannot guarantee you will come out of it unscathed. You will need each other more than ever then. Craig, you will need compassion in spite of what happens. I am unable to say any more than this. Be prepared. Look after each other. What happens is not your doing, but of people beyond my control. Now, go, Craig. Begin your healing," Seb said.

Seb vanished into the air. Craig pulled Andrew into a tight hug, crying against his shoulder.

"Shh. It'll be alright, Craig. Come on, let's get out of here," Andrew said quietly, holding him tightly.

Craig nodded glumly and let Andrew lead him away and back to his room.

* * *

Andrew got him settled and snuggled up beside him on the bed. Craig had almost stopped crying. Andrew knew what he had to do, much as it scared him. He grabbed Craig's hand gently, letting him know he was there.

"Craig? Craig, I want you to t-tell me everything that happened to you. Just knowing you were tortured isn't enough. You need to let your memories go. Internalising them only makes them worse. So please, tell me what happened. I'll try to be brave for you," Andrew said softly.

Craig squeezed his eyes shut, blinking away his tears, and shook his head, not wanting to relive those memories again.

"Please. You need to heal. Tell me everything," Andrew urged gently, brushing his cheek with the back of his fingers.

Craig turned to look at him. Andrew saw nothing in his eyes but pain and fear. The compassion in Andrew's eyes was enough to break his resolve. With a quiet voice, Craig told him everything, much as it pained him to do so. Andrew sat beside him awestruck, listening to his words without saying anything, not wanting to interrupt him.

* * *

Andrew held him afterwards, comforting him like a child. Craig had no secrets left. Andrew tried not to think about the pain and his injuries as he held him. Craig still carried scars, and had shown every single one of them to Andrew. Andrew hadn't wanted to touch them, they still emanated pain, but Craig insisted. Andrew touched them all, running his fingers along them as much as he dared. No one could doubt Craig was a warrior. He had the battle scars to prove it.

Andrew was suddenly more aware of Craig's body than he had ever been before. He would see him differently now. He could see scars he had taken no notice of before and now he knew the stories behind them all. Suddenly his slight limp made sense. He could see his destroyed knees and wondered if they would ever be possible to fix. It must be painful to walk. Andrew's mind was alive with horrifying wonder as it pictured the techniques that had caused them all. Suddenly, he felt queasy.

Indeed, Andrew had finally learned why Craig was so protective of his wings. It wasn't just because of the nerves and their sensitivity to touch. Craig was always terrified that anyone touching his wings was about to pluck feathers from them one by one in the most painful way possible. Andrew cringed. He was glad they hadn't broken his wings. He'd seen the results of broken wings, and it was usually a crippling experience for the poor fullwing.

"They almost did. They almost took batons to my wings and broke them. But they didn't. They were stopped at the last minute. That was just before I was released. They didn't feel so precious about breaking any of my other bones though," Craig said, as if reading his thoughts.

"How did no one manage to notice your injuries when you got back?" Andrew said.

"Someone saved me. I don't know who. I got a few hundred metres down the road when I collapsed. I just couldn't go any further. I woke up in what looked like a small hospital. For some reason, I had been picked off the road and taken there to be healed. I spent a week or so there, I think, before I had to go. I could walk and breathe and fly and that was all that mattered to me. I grabbed some painkillers and set off one night, and staggered back to the haven in one piece. If I'd turned up in the state I had been in before, I think you would have noticed. But with few visible injuries, I'm not surprised it wasn't obvious. I'd sort of forced myself to act normal. I didn't want to show my fear. I'm stubborn like that," Craig said.

"So why didn't you even mention it?" Andrew said.

"I desperately wanted someone to notice. I really did. But no one seemed to remember I'd even been gone. Am I that forgettable? That made me hide it. If no one cared that I'd been missing for three weeks or so, why would they care that I'd been arrested and tortured?" Craig said. He sighed and dried his eyes. "It was stupid, I know. I should've said something. But I didn't. I just let it eat me up inside instead. I didn't want anyone to think I was weak."

"You're not weak for succumbing to torture. You're incredibly brave for hanging on for so long. I don't think I could've done that. I don't have the pain tolerance that you have," Andrew said.

"It's not just about pain. I mean, that's part of it. But that's not what you're fighting. It's hopelessness. You're there, at their mercy, and you can do nothing. Absolutely nothing. They beat you, hurt you, starve you, leave you hanging by your arms, whatever. It all becomes one big blur after a while. The relentless questioning and the way they mess with your head makes you doubt your own sanity. It's far more mental than the pain suggests. You need to keep your head to survive. Otherwise, they will destroy you," Craig said.

Andrew winced at the image of Craig being hung by his arms. He knew all about stress positions. It was part of what you learnt when you joined the military police. Andrew had opted for intelligence over fieldwork. His superior officer had suggested it, given his academic scores far surpassed his physical strength. They needed someone like him to work the brains of the force, and being trained in intelligence meant learning how to interrogate prisoners, and that meant learning the art of torture. Not that they called it that. They were enhanced interrogation techniques.

"Craig, I never told you this, hell, I've never told anyone this, but I know how to torture. I worked intelligence in the military police for three years. Part of my training was learning enhanced interrogation techniques. Torture. The six months I served in New Zealand made me decide to leave and never pick up a gun again. That's why it's so painful to hear about what happened to you because that past me remembers what it was taught and what they were trying to do to you. I'm dangerous because I know those techniques and have had to use them during warfare. I know what I'm capable of. I also know how much energy it takes to fight back the urge to use them. I left the military nearly 9 years ago, but it still haunts me. I know how to kill. I know how to torture. I know how to torture someone without leaving any marks. It's a darkness inside me I can't run from. It's on all my official records. Major Andrew John Hansen, three years military police service, honourably discharged from duty following six months deployment to New Zealand. I was far too good at what I did. That's why I ranked so quickly. I left to stop myself harming anyone else," Andrew said.

"You were an interrogator? You serious?" Craig said, not quite sure it was possible.

"I didn't used to look this pathetic, you know. The Army cadets trained me up well. I was in peak physical condition back then. I was strong and fast and agile and quick-thinking. Still was a tiny runt, but I was a fit, strong, tiny runt. I've lost a lot of my fitness since then. I was one of the best interrogators in my unit. But New Zealand destroyed any pride I had in my work. It became an excuse to abuse and degrade, for torture to show what it was really like. And it scared me how readily I adapted to the increased range of techniques we were told to use. I had to be stopped once because I almost drowned a prisoner. I was ordered back to Australia for two weeks leave before being redeployed again. I was never quite the same though. The fact that I had nearly lost control frightened me. Those two weeks was when I made the decision to leave when my three years was up. So two months later, my three years were up. I returned from duty and went to my commanding officer and told him I wanted out. He wasn't surprised, but he was sad to see me go. He was right that it was something I was particularly good at, yet I needed to be away from situations where I would lose control again, and that meant leaving the Armed Forces. He understood. He understood completely. He'd taught me everything he knew. He had that same look in his eyes that I had, that dreaded horror and fear from knowing what you're really capable of. He wished me luck and let me go. I left my uniform behind and never looked back," Andrew said.

"Jesus. Why didn't you ever tell anyone about this?" Craig said.

"Well, it was all there on the public record if they'd bothered to look. I just don't like talking about it. He retired last year, as it happens. I bumped into him in the city and he recognised me. Asked me if I wanted to catch up over a drink. Only then did I feel safe to tell him what I really felt about it, and he confessed he had been very reluctant to sign me up for training in the first place. My psych exam told him I'd be brilliant at intelligence, but I'd be a double-edged sword, just like he was. Pressure from above forced his hand and I got in. I'm sure my enthusiasm helped. They quite liked the idea of a psychiatrist's son becoming a Military Police interrogator. They thought I had the right background," Andrew said.

Craig brought him into a hug, holding him close. Craig was suddenly lost for words. He was embracing someone who had been trained to inflict pain on him, just like his captors had. Yet he pitied him. This was his Andrew, and Andrew was harmless. Well, perhaps not so harmless. But it was still Andrew and Craig could see he had his own trauma to deal with. He'd seen it in Chris' eyes as well, though he already knew Chris had served in New Zealand.

"It's okay, Craig. I managed to wrangle counselling through veterans' services so I'm not as raw and traumatised by it as I was when I first left. But that doesn't mean I don't forget what I did. I just know how to cope with it better," Andrew said.

"I wish I had that. Not that it matters. I'll be dead in 15 years or so anyway. We never live past 50. I can already feel my body getting tired. Maybe I'll die sooner. I wonder when I won't be able to fly anymore. I should die then. No one wants a grounded canary," Craig said.

"Is flying that important to you?" Andrew said.

"Yes. I am nothing if I can't fly. It's what I am. It's why I was made. I was made to fly. If I can't fly, I'm just like everyone else. I'd have wings, but be unable to fly with them. How pathetic. How humiliating," Craig said.

"I wish I could properly understand that," Andrew said.

"I wish I could properly understand how you could bring yourself to torture someone, so I guess we're even," Craig said with a small smile.

"Ahh, that, my friend, is another matter entirely. It does take a certain mentality to understand it anyway. Don't tell anyone, will you? I don't want them thinking I'm evil or something," Andrew said.

"Don't worry, I won't. I can understand why you wouldn't want that widely known," Craig said.

"Thanks. I mean, every kid serves their time anyway, and because of the compulsory three years' service, there are a lot of traumatised veterans around. You'd be hard-pressed to find ex-military vets who aren't scarred by their experiences. This is not humane warfare. That ended a long time ago. We fight for nothing short of total conquest, and nothing is off-limits. That mentality changes the way you see torture and how it's used. There's no going back now," Andrew said.

Craig clung onto Andrew, wanting both to comfort him and to be comforted. Craig lay him down and held him close, wrapping his wings around him. They exchanged a simple kiss, and Craig held him, trying to wish both their pain away.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Craig finally admits to Julian that he was tortured before they finally settle their differences, and Adam finally wakes from his drug-induced slumber.

"What the fuck did you do with the money, Craig?" Julian said, storming into the meeting, angrily waving a bunch of papers at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Craig said, looking up from the book he was reading, distinctly uninterested. He didn't want to be at this meeting anyway, but Tim had ordered him to attend in spite of his and Andrew's protestations, so he had grabbed a book and sulked off to the meeting room, determined to make it clear he would rather be anywhere but there.

"Stop lying. How the fuck did you pay for Caleb's freedom?"

"I had some savings stored away."

"Then where's the ten grand? I trusted you to keep a check on the money. How dare you go against that trust and steal from me!" Julian threw the papers down in front of Craig.

Craig picked them up and looked at them briefly. He recognised them as financial statements, reports he'd made for Julian. "If you're so convinced I stole from you, where's your proof?"

"Caleb's my proof. You stole ten grand from me so you could buy his freedom. When have you ever had ten grand stored away?"

"Does it matter? He's not being forced into slavery anymore. That more than justifies freeing him," Craig said.

"I want him gone. He's causing trouble. The men don't like him being around. They want you gone as well. No one trusts you anymore, and I'm beginning to think they have a point. The only reason we haven't been caught yet is because we have absolute trust in each other. You're becoming a threat to that stability. You think nothing of anyone else here. You're reckless and stupid and put the rest of us at risk. We can't have you off doing whatever you want. We work together or not at all. Prove to me I can trust you or get the fuck out of my sight," Julian said.

"Prove to me that any of you care about me and I might consider staying. As it stands, none of you have ever given me any indication you even remotely care about my well-being. You don't like Caleb, you don't like me, what the fuck do I have to do to make any of you stop hating me?" Craig said, getting to his feet.

"You set out to antagonise us from the beginning. You tagged along, not caring about our own methods. You were more concerned about settling some personal vendetta you appear to have been carrying for years. You seem to forget that this is a group effort. We do not exist to enact revenge on your behalf. You want revenge, do it yourself. Don't drag us into it. Resources are tight as it is. We can't afford to misspend anything. We need every cent to keep the people here fed and trained. We aren't your personal bank that you can just take from at your whim," Tim said, trying to keep the argument civil.

"And I told you I didn't steal that money, so shut your fucking mouth, Tim. Yes, I have a vendetta. Show me a fullwing that doesn't. Do you think I asked for the sort of treatment I've suffered? No. So shut the fuck up and leave me be," Craig said.

"Craig, I know you're lying, and badly at that. You stole ten thousand dollars from us! And for what? To pay off your boyfriend! I could excuse it if you'd spent it on something useful, but no, you spent it on Caleb. We're already stretched for space here. You didn't even bother asking if you could bring him. This whole mess was organised behind our backs. It makes you look bad. For all we know, you're a traitor working for the Government and Caleb's some spy you've brought into our fold. We'll trust you when you trust us," Julian said.

Craig growls in frustration, slamming a fist down against the table. "What do I have to do to prove I am no traitor? Apparently everything I do is susceptible to suspicion. I have never been a traitor to you, nor will I ever become one. God, I tell you this every time this is brought up. Why won't you trust me?"

"Because, in spite of giving us your word, you act like a traitor. What are we supposed to think when we see you sneaking around? You've never co-operated with the planning. All you seem to care about is revenge, so excuse us for thinking you care about this rebellion, because that's not what your actions are telling us. We work for the good of this country, for her people. You only care about yourself. Stop being such a selfish fucker and help us for once," Tim said.

"It's not as simple as that!" Craig said.

"Yes it is. You don't have to work against us," Tim said.

"I've put up with you for a long time, Craig. Now, I don't know what your fucking problem is, but get over yourself, alright? No one is more or less important than anyone else around here, but if you continue to antagonise us, I will kick you out for the good of the rebellion, Caleb too. I need harmony. I can't have someone like you shit-stirring. Consider this your final warning. Behave yourself or you're out. And don't think I'm just saying it for the sake of saying it. I will follow through if I have to. I'll send you back to the streets where you came from, and if you dare to speak a word about the rebellion to anyone, I'll have you killed. Do not anger me further. I have enough shit to deal with without having to rein you in every fucking day. Now, I'll ask you one more time: did you or did you not steal ten thousand dollars from me to buy Caleb's freedom without my permission?" Julian said.

"No. I did not steal that money. I told you. I had some savings. I sacrificed that money for him. I regret nothing. He's better off here than back at that sluthouse," Craig said, continuing to lie through his teeth.

"You continue to lie to us, and you wonder why we don't trust you?" Julian said.

"What proof do you have that I stole from you, apart from the fact you all don't trust me?" Craig said.

"It's here in the figures. They don't add up. Ten grand is missing, and you will pay it back. You had no right to take it from us, not even for Caleb. There are more important things right now than freeing prostitutes!" Julian said.

"Yeah, like what?" Craig said.

"The rebellion, for one. Survival, for another. What the fuck is wrong with you that you can't see how important that is?" Tim said.

"There's nothing wrong with me! I'm no traitor! Why the fuck won't you trust me?" Craig said, angry that he was letting them get to him.

"What's your problem, Craig? What's eating away at you? From one fullwing to another, I know what they've done to us and I know how it eats away at you, but seriously, what did they do to you to make you so jaded?" Tim said.

"None of you even noticed! I came back after going missing for three weeks and none of you cared! None! No one said anything! Do you know what they did to me? Do any of you even care? They destroyed me in those two weeks, and you let it happen! You sent me out there! I was arrested, and-" Craig stops, unable to continue. He growls in frustration and punches the wall.

"What are you talking about? When did you go missing?" Julian said.

"It was a few years ago. You sent me out to scout one of the Army bases. I was about to leave when I was arrested. They… I was imprisoned for two weeks as they "interrogated" me. For some reason, I was released alive. I spent a week in some hospital recovering before I staggered back to the haven. I was probably in a right mess, and all the welcome I got was a hi from Chris. I tried to talk to you, Julian, but you didn't want to hear what I had to say. You had no time for me then. You still don't now. And you fucking wonder why I hate you all so much? I was fucking tortured and you couldn't have cared less! What do I have to do to get any of you to care about me?" Craig said.

Julian reached out to grab his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Yeah, you should be sorry! I get sent out to do your dirty work and this is the thanks I get? Fuck that. I would kill to be rid of the memories that you gave me! Every night when I go to sleep, I'm being tortured all over again! Do you know how hard that is to deal with? None of you bothered to see if I was alright! I got the impression you didn't want to know! That's why I never bothered to tell you. That's why it's been my living hell for the past few years. I hope you're fucking happy Julian. They fucking destroyed me and no one even cared. I would sacrifice everything to be free from this pain," Craig said, torn between anger and hysteria. He slumped to the floor, holding his head in his hands, curling up on himself.

The room filled with silence. Tim sat down beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. No one should have to go through that, not even you," he said quietly.

"Please, make it stop. Take me to Andrew," Craig whispered.

"Alright. Come on then," Tim said.

Craig allowed Tim to pull him to his feet. With an arm around his shoulder, Tim led him out of the meeting room and off to find Andrew.

* * *

Andrew was in the hall with Chris, talking. Andrew was on his feet as soon as he saw Craig. Craig collapsed into Andrew's open arms, grabbing onto him tightly.

"What happened?" Andrew asked.

"He and Julian were fighting. Craig broke down, told us what had happened to him. He said he wanted me to take him to you," Tim said.

"Shit. Thanks, Tim, I'll take care of him from here," Andrew said. "Chris, do you mind?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure, whatever. I'll be here when you're ready," Chris said, glancing up from what he was reading.

Chris knew better than to fight with Andrew over this. He hated how he was slightly jealous of the attention Andrew gave Craig. He hated how a small part of his mind thought Craig was just being melodramatic and making things up in order to steal Andrew away from him. If they lived in a different world, that might be true, but Chris knew what fullwings went through, he'd seen it with his own eyes. Craig deserved all the help he could get.

* * *

Andrew didn't push Craig into talking once they'd settled down in Craig's room. Craig's wings curled around him, his knees drawn to his chest, arms wrapped protectively around them. Andrew sat beside him, waiting for him to speak.

"I didn't mean to tell them, I just wanted them to leave me alone," Craig murmured.

"Were they hassling you about Caleb again?"

Craig winced as he mentioned it. "Yeah. I love him so much. How can I just abandon him now?"

"Are they threatening to kick him out?"

"Yeah. And me. We're causing trouble, apparently. No one likes us. Typical, not even my own kind can tolerate me."

"I think there have been some severe misunderstandings between you and Julian for far too long. You really need to sort this out so we can get on with things together without fighting."

"Julian… he doesn't understand."

"That much is obvious. What doesn't he understand?"

"The one thing he accuses me of… is true." Craig buried his head in his arms, wanting the world to swallow him. He didn't even know why he said it. The words had left his mouth before he could stop them.

"What's true? What are you talking about?"

"N-Nothing, don't worry about it. It's nothing."

"No, don't you go hiding from me. What are you talking about?" Andrew shifted on the bed to face him.

Craig looked up at him. "I did steal from Julian to buy Caleb's freedom," he said at last, voice quiet and reluctant.

"You really did that? When are you going to tell Julian?"

"Not until I've got the money to pay him back. I've got about $2,300, but that's about it. I want to earn it back myself, not just take it from other people. I fucked up, I know that. I want to make it better by myself," Craig said.

"Is it really that important to you? Surely there are more important things right now than this."

Craig uncurled and reached under the bed, pulling out a large dusty tin. He brushed the dust off as he settled again. With careful fingers, he eased the lid off and set it aside. The tin was filled with money, carefully sorted into small bundles. "I promised, Andrew! I promised I'd save him! Why can't I bring freedom to him? Isn't that what we're fighting for? Freedom?"

"We're fighting for everyone's freedom, not just for individuals. Yes, he deserves to be free, no one will deny that. But we all deserve to be free," Andrew said.

"This was never going to be an easy war. No one expects we'll get what we want with one fell swoop. He's one less human being exploited for sex. That alone justifies what I did. I don't regret it for a moment, Andrew. I didn't break my promise to him," Craig said.

"You clearly love him very much. It would be wrong to ask you to give him up."

"If he goes, I go. I'm not leaving him now."

"I'll help you with the money."

"No, I don't want anyone's help. This is my problem, not yours."

"Craig, the only way we can move forward is for you and Julian to fix up the tension. We can't be divided, not now. This is just adding another distraction. We're all trying to stay alive here. If we aren't united, we'll fall apart and get massacred. Is that really what you want?"

"I'm scared. Julian'll be angry. I-"

"Craig? Sorry to barge in." As if called by the air, Julian poked his head into the room. "Andrew, mind giving us a few?"

Andrew glanced back at Craig. "Sure. Just… be gentle with him, alright?" Andrew squeezed Craig's hand. "I'll be outside, okay?"

Craig sniffed and nodded, not bothering to watch Andrew leave and Julian enter. Julian perched on the bed. Neither looked at each other.

"I'm sorry for not caring before. I thought you were alright. If I'd known what had happened, I'd have tried to help you. I didn't want you to get hurt like that. I've seen it. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. I'm sorry. Is it too late to help you?" Julian said, breaking the silence.

"I did take that money. I've been trying to get enough to pay you back, but it's not easy, and I didn't want you to get mad at me, because I promised, Julian, I promised to free him! I love him, Julian, more than words. If you're going to kick him out, kick me out too. I won't let him go out there on his own," Craig said, not hearing what Julian had said. He curled into himself and turned his head away from him, shoving the tin of money towards him.

"I don't care about that anymore. Keep the money. I've wronged you more than you've wronged me," Julian said, pushing the tin away.

"Liar. You're just saying that. Next meeting, you'll blast me about stealing the money and I'll yell at you and the cycle will continue," Craig murmured.

"I know we've always antagonised each other, but I think it's time we stopped this nonsense. I need you. You're as important to this rebellion as everyone else here, even Caleb's proving his worth, but we can't keep on fighting like this. I wish you hadn't lied to me about the money, but what's done is done," Julian said.

"I feel so stupid. I didn't even know you were halfwing," Craig said.

"I don't advertise it much. I'm used to pretending to be human," Julian said.

"Andrew told me about your mother. I'm sorry," Craig said.

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault," Julian said evasively. "But I didn't go through what you did, so I have no right to say I've suffered worse than you."

"I would give anything to be rid of the pain," Craig said quietly, curling up even tighter, wings closing around him.

Julian said nothing. He gently teased Craig out from himself and brought him into his arms, holding him tightly. Craig grabbed onto him, shutting his eyes tight as he tried to fight the memories away.

"I remember everything. In vivid detail. I've never been so scared in my life. I was too afraid to sleep because I thought they might kill me if I did. My knees still aren't as good as they used to be. Even now, I stay awake for days if the memories are too strong. I can't forget what they did to me," Craig whispered.

Julian held him, gently rubbing his back. "Shh, it'll be alright. I'm sorry for neglecting you. I honestly had no idea there was anything wrong. During the debrief, you never saw fit to mention anything about being arrested. I'm not a mind-reader, Craig. You seemed fine. What else was I supposed to think?"

"So scared. Cold darkness. I'm paralysed, Julian, paralysed and destroyed. They've broken me for good," Craig whispered. Indeed, Craig was shivering in Julian's arms, fingers knotted into his shirt, desperately trying to cling to reality. The memories were taking over again. Craig whimpered pathetically, sobbing against Julian's shoulder.

Julian didn't know what to say. He had only witnessed torture, albeit the torture and murder of his own fullwing mother. He'd never been subjected to it himself. "She screamed. Oh, God, did she scream. I was 14 years old. By the time they'd broken her, she was telling them whatever they wanted to hear. I sat there helplessly, too afraid stop them. S-She told me to fight. Her… Her last words. She told me to fight, just like her. They beat me up and left me for dead. I watched them dragging her broken body away as if it were a doll. I never saw my family again. I was left to fend for myself. I… I don't often tell people this, but-I don't know, maybe it might help."

Craig could hear the raw emotion in Julian's voice as he spoke. Clearly, he was still haunted by his mother's death all these years later. "Does it ever get easier to bear?"

"I wish I could say that it does. I wish I'd never been forced to watch that. No child should have to see their mother tortured and killed," Julian murmured. "I miss her every single fucking day. She-she used to sing to me, tried to hide the troubled world from us. She wouldn't let them touch me, so they turned on her instead because she was a fullwing, one of the few female fullwings to have survived. She was born outside though, she was never shut up in some tiny cage like a battery hen. She was free. She fought so hard to make sure we were brought up in freedom. Her sacrifice was greater than anyone should have to make for their children."

"I'm sorry." It was the only thing Craig could say.

"Now you know why I fight. We've both had wrongs done to us and we need to have justice. We have the same goals, the same dreams. Can we work together to achieve that?" Julian was still upset, not that Craig blamed him.

"What other choice do we have?" Craig whispered.

Both men clung to each other, trying to hide their bleeding wounds. Craig's wings curled around them both. They shed tears they didn't want anyone else to see.

From the other room, Andrew opened the door a crack, peering in at them. He smiled and closed the door silently. He turned and left them alone, not wanting to intrude further. He had a feeling things were going to be better between them from now on.

* * *

Adam found himself pulled into startling consciousness, bright lights making his head hurt. He wasn't sure how long he was out for, but it didn't seem like very long. But this time, he felt different. He didn't feel like his whole body was made of lead, and his head wasn't throbbing with pain. He felt exhausted though. He must still be lying on the bed. His eyes could see clearly this time, and he saw Hamish, Wil, Tim, and a couple of others he didn't recognise.

As soon as Hamish noticed him wake, he was over by his side. This time, Adam had the strength to hold him back, not wanting to let him go. Hamish kissed him, and Adam could sense his desperation and relief.

"I said you'd be alright, didn't I? God, I'm so glad you're alright," Hamish said, burying his face in Adam's neck.

"Hamish, hey," Adam said quietly, not sure what else to say.

"I was so worried about you. You've been sleeping a long time. I was afraid you'd never wake up," Hamish said.

"Feels good to be back. How long was I asleep?" Adam said.

"A couple of days, I think. I can't really remember. I haven't been able to sleep since you were brought back here," Hamish said.

"Shit. Yeah, now that you mention it, you do look tired. But it's ok, you can - hey, what happened to my wings?" Adam said, finally noticing his mutilated wings.

"The soldiers who dragged you into your cell hacked your wings. Stopped you flying, see? They like keeping you guys on the ground. I'm sorry they butchered them so badly. But they should grow back, yeah? I mean, they didn't actually damage the wings, did they? Just hacked at the feathers?" said one of the people Adam didn't recognise. It seemed to be a male, or was it a female? Adam couldn't tell. But he recognised the voice as the one who'd been talking to him while he was drugged. They came and sat on the bed next to Adam, taking his hand in theirs. Adam then saw just how small they were. Small and fragile, almost like a child, but clearly an adult. It was a bit weird actually.

"I remember your voice. It's one of the few things I do remember. Who are you? Why did you risk everything to save me?" Adam said.

"Dr Samantha Reddings. Sorry I didn't have time to introduce myself earlier, but you weren't in any shape to remember. I'm surprised you even remember my voice. I saved you because I knew what they were going to do to you, and I couldn't let that happen," the woman said.

"Why's that?" Adam said.

"Because I'm one of you. One of those halfbreeds. But my parents had enough money to fake my ID card, but I've been living with the knowledge all my life. They told me when I was 8, said never to tell anyone. I think a year later they disappeared. I never saw them again. The army seemed the best place to be. I could hide and appear as 'normal'. I started as a soldier before moving to intelligence and then onto biomedical research. They paid me to study medicine and become a doctor so I could also be deployed as a medical officer during warfare. I spent years devising antidotes to the drugs and poisons my superiors were making. I kept them secret. I knew they'd be needed later. And then I saw them bring you in, and I knew they'd use the new drugs on you. They'd been making a batch especially for you. I could never work out what was in it. I was never allowed to see the research notes. But it had to be nasty going by what I heard them say about it. I couldn't let them do that. I was afraid they might kill you with them. So when you were alone in your cell, an ally and I went to see you, on the grounds that we were moving you to an interrogation room to wait for the general. As doctors, we could get away with being alone with prisoners whereas soldiers couldn't. We were never suspected, though I always thought that's why I should be afraid. But when we realised how many had been brought in and that they were going to be executed quickly, we spurred our allies into action. We tried to save every last one of your men, but we were discovered before we'd gotten them all out. We escaped the barracks with the ones we did manage to save, firing back on the soldiers to stop them chasing us. We managed to smuggle out a cache of weapons and the antidotes I made, and we were damn lucky to manage that. We've been dishonourably discharged and there are calls for our arrest and execution. We're traitors now, just like you. Wil said we could stay, I hope that's alright. Sorry, I'm talking too much. Silly me, bombarding you with all this information at once and you've just woken up. I'll fill you in later when your mind's not in such a muddle," Samantha said.

"It's alright. I don't feel like I'm made of lead anymore. I just have lead piled on top of me," Adam said with a grin.

"Hey! I'm not that heavy!" Hamish said petulantly.

"You reckon hey?" Adam said, grinning at Hamish.

"Well, if you're going to be like that, I'll leave and go to bed," Hamish said with mock anger.

"Oh no you don't," Adam said, grabbing Hamish around the waist and holding him tightly. "You're not leaving just yet."

"Oh yeah? Think you can stop me?" Hamish said, trying to pull away.

"Easily," Adam said, grabbing the back of Hamish's head and pulling him in for a heated kiss.

Hamish melted, wrapping his arms around Adam's shoulders, his arms brushing against the ragged edges of the feathers. Adam felt warm and comforting, and Hamish felt a peace settle in him he hadn't felt since Adam had been rescued. If they'd been alone, Hamish would've fucked him, but Hamish wasn't an exhibitionist, so the sex would have to wait.

Adam reluctantly pulled away, leaning their foreheads together, silently praising his luck that he had escaped relatively unharmed.

"Hamish? Want to accompany me to the showers?" Adam said. Oh, you are not going to have more shower sex. "Oh, leave it. I'm not that silly. The shower sex can wait." Good boy. Remember you're still not 100%. Try not to overdo things. "Yes, mother."

"Will you quit talking to the narrator? It creeps me out, I swear," Hamish said. "You sure you don't want to eat first?"

"Hmm… Food. Might be a good idea to eat. Then we can shower," Adam said.

"Come on then. You sure you're feeling ok? I can have some food brought in if you like," Hamish said.

"I've been lying down for two days. I want to exercise my feet. Wil and Tim can fill me in over a meal," Adam said.

"I insist on giving you a check up before you go anywhere. Can't have you collapsing on us," Samantha said.

"Oh, alright. Go on, get off, Ham," Adam said.

Hamish obligingly shifted off him as Adam sat up, letting Samantha check him over. She wouldn't let him go until she was convinced he was ok, and she'd insisted on taking a couple of blood samples to test as well, just in case something odd was left over from the drugs. Adam submitted to her desires willingly, tired as he was, knowing she was just trying to help him.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam catches up with what's been going on since he's been asleep, Sam and Rachel inject some technobabble into the mix (good for the soul. :P), Sepulchre and the dead finally get their remembrance, and the Chinese come to the table to play.

When they were at last allowed to leave, Hamish did his boyfriendly duty and accompanied Adam to the bathroom and then onto the mess hall. Wil and Tim were already waiting for him, piping hot meals ready to eat. Adam embraced them both, glad to see them again.

"Gave us quite a scare, you did. You alright?" Wil said.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be alright. How's everything around here?" Adam said.

"Bit surreal, really. The whole place kinda stopped when we got you back. I mean, there were others who were drugged, or injured, or whatever, but it was you, you were out cold and not waking and everyone panicked. The raid was a complete surprise. We had no idea it had happened until Caleb called and said it had been attacked, and that Craig was injured. Then we found Tim and there were only six survivors and then it kinda sunk in how terrible it had all been and I still don't think it's quite sunk in yet. When we went to search the rubble for survivors, we were shot at and oh, that's right. We were given this. I haven't dared open it yet, even though I had it checked out when we got back and it's not carrying anything dangerous," Wil said, pulling out the letter from his jacket pocket that he'd quite forgotten about. "I thought it best to wait til you were awake. I figured it was meant for you."

Adam took it and looked at the cream envelope. It looked harmless enough. He picked up his knife and sliced it open, tapping it a little to let its contents fall out. It contained a letter and nothing more. Setting the envelope aside, Adam picked up the letter and unfolded it.

"'To whomever leads the rebellion now that your dear Adam has been destroyed,' well, they tried to destroy me at the very least, not sure they were very successful in that regard, 'let this be a warning to you. Not all are as stupid as they seem. We know you are organised. We know your numbers are growing. We will crush you and stop you from destroying our perfect world. Consider this your final warning. The arena you called "the glass house" has been razed to the ground. Your leaders are dead. You are nothing but rabble. Mutants. Where the rest of the Army tolerates you, we will move on you and wipe you from existence. Your fate awaits you.' Signed by one General Earnest P. Featherstone. What a charming man. How nice of him to send us a little death threat," Adam said, reading the letter.

"At least we know some of the commanders know we're organised. And that they don't know there are rebels amongst their own forces or they'd have anticipated them coming to help us and rescue you guys," Wil said.

"I bet he knows now," Adam said.

"I bet he's really mad they defected to us and helped their prisoners escape. And he lost you. That won't go down well with his mates," Wil said.

"I think it's just proof he doesn't know his own troops if he's managed to bollocks this up so badly," Hamish said.

"If I ever meet this General Featherstone, I'll be sure to thank him for the troops," Adam said.

"And the tanks, trucks, missiles and grenades we stole from him," Hamish added.

Wil laughed. "It really was too easy to steal from that bastard, wasn't it? Half his fucking base abandoned him. That says a lot about him."

"We only just had room for them all. Got some good men too. And women. We got a lot of women this time, for some reason," Tim said.

"That's good. Seems things are still going our way in spite of his attempts to crush us," Adam said.

"He seems a little dim-witted. Maybe he's one of those American generals who came over after the US self-destructed. I know there's a few of them around the place. I don't think they quite understand what it is they're doing," Hamish said.

"Not many who run this country know what they're doing, Ham," Adam said.

"Which is why we have to get rid of them and replace them with people who do know what they're doing," Wil said.

"People like us. Clearly more competent than this Featherstone guy," Tim said.

"Most definitely. We know how to run an organised rebellion. If he can't get that through his thick skull, then whatever happens is his own fault," Adam said.

* * *

Sam rushed off to the makeshift labs after she'd let Adam go. She had tests to run on his blood, and on the chemicals she'd managed to steal from the army base. Adam's recovery had been swift once he'd woken up. Sam had thought he'd need another few days' rest, but he was up and on his feet and seemingly suffering no ill effects from the drugs at all. Sam put it down to his biology. Perhaps it processed these things in a different and faster manner to normal humans. Indeed, she had previously witnessed the remarkable recovery times of fullwings that were much faster than normal human beings. Injuries that would take a normal human a week to recover from, a fullwing could pull off the same recovery in three days. Given the reason why they were created in the first place, Sam isn't that surprised fullwings had fast recovery times. It's what you want in a good soldier. She was eager to share this with Rachel and Antoinette, who were also busy preparing their treatise on winged human biology and genetics.

Truth be told, it wasn't that makeshift of a lab. The warehouse had obviously been some sort of chemical manufacturer. Definitely involved with chemical testing in some manner. There was a small but rather well fitted out lab a short distance from the main warehouse, and Sam had been very pleased to discover the equipment still mostly worked. They'd had to source some machines the lab didn't have, and rig up a more powerful generator, but now it was almost a professional looking lab. Rachel had even managed to procure some lab coats, for that added touch. Rachel just didn't feel right in the lab without one. They stored medicines in here as well as samples for their research. The lab meant their medical ward could treat a wider variety of injuries before calling in for help.

Sam found Rachel and Antoinette hovering over a collection of photos of gels they'd run recently. They hadn't felt so bad about starting their research while Adam was still asleep. Sam had waited, mostly because she'd wanted his blood and was too nice to take small samples while he was still out cold, though her official excuse was that she didn't want contaminated blood, which was plausible enough.

"How's the gene testing going? Isolated everything yet?" Sam said, coming up behind them. She clambered onto a stool and slid onto the bench to see what they were doing. There were significant disadvantages to being short, and having to clamber onto benches to see gel photos was one of them.

"Far from it, but we're narrowing down the searches. Wil helped me get access to the Government gene bank, which has sped things up nicely. We've isolated several bird genes, and several completely unknown genes that may have been artificially created to produce the desired effects. He's got very clean code. It's perfect, almost. I'd say about thirty to forty percent of his DNA is coding for genes, which is a seriously significant amount. It's also an indication of their heritage, that their genome was built and created by humans and hasn't evolved over millions of years, so it hasn't accumulated the junk that our DNA has. If they continue to survive, and survive for a long time and create more offspring, I think we'd see the beginnings of their evolution and the change in their DNA structure, which would be fascinating to watch. When all this is over, I'd really love to get some more halfwing samples, because I want to see the interaction between the fullwing and human DNA. It must be compatible, or they wouldn't create fertile offspring, albeit ones who can't fly. I want to know what that's doing to their genes. But that's all some time away when the war's over," Rachel said, sounding rather excited by her work.

"Excuse her, she gets a little carried away," Antoinette said, winking at Sam as she saw the look of utter confusion on Sam's face.

"I gathered that. Sorry, genetics isn't my big thing. I can do biochemistry til the cows come home though. Speaking of which, I have Adam's blood samples to analyse. I want to know what those drugs might've done to him and what they left behind, if anything. Do you need any more of his blood? I took a vial for you in case you needed it," Sam said, offering the spare vacuum flask.

"Actually, I was just about to go get some more. But it might fuck up the results if it isn't clean. But that might give me a chance to see if there's any foreign DNA in there that might be worth looking at. Thanks, Sam. You're a mind reader," Rachel said, grabbing Sam's face and kissing her forehead before taking the offered vial.

"Mind if I borrow Toni? I need to borrow her height for a while," Sam said.

"Sure, go ahead. I don't need her right now," Rachel said.

"Back soon, ma chérie," Antoinette said, pecking Rachel on the cheek.

Antoinette lifted Sam off the bench and together, they headed over to the other side of the lab to get to work on Adam's blood analysis. Rachel smiled as she watched them go. Antoinette made Sam look even shorter than she did next to Rachel.

"Poor girl. She needs stilts, she does," Rachel murmured, stifling a laugh, and turned back to her work, making notes about her latest results in a battered old notebook.

* * *

That evening, Adam gathered everyone in the main hall to farewell those who hadn't been able to escape. Adam took to the stage with a confidence surprising in someone who was unconscious several hours before. It was the first time Adam officially fronted the group as their leader and Seb's replacement. He carried Seb's sword and raised it high in the air, rallying everyone to their cause. It became clear no one would challenge Adam for the leadership, not even stubborn Craig, who was hanging around near Julian as they watched the ceremony. Wil, Tim and Hamish were on stage with him. Hamish felt a little out of place, but he couldn't complain. Adam had insisted he go up there with him. Adam merely raised a hand to silence the crowd and they obeyed almost immediately, so captivated by him.

"Friends! We've fought a long and bloody battle over the decades. We have not come out of this unscathed. We have lost dear, dear friends and noble warriors to the cause. We remember them on the far wall, their names enshrined for eternity. Today, we add to the fallen. Every single person at The Glass House that night was worthy of being there. None of them deserved their fate. To those of us who survived, we owe our lives to those who died. We must also thank those at the Army base willing to risk their lives to save us, even though they could not save us all. It is only fitting that I, as leader, add the names to the wall," Adam said as he walked through the crowds towards the wall as they cheered at his words in gratitude and grief.

Hamish followed, clutching a list of all the names that need to be added. Sepulchre hadn't been added yet. Everyone was too scared to add it, as if it would finalise things and make him really dead. Going against this fear, Sepulchre's name was the first to be added.

"Sepulchre, it was an honour to know you and fight by your side. May your name live on forever," Adam said as he began his task.

The crowd cheered at Sepulchre's name, shouting their own form of goodbyes to him. It was still a bit surreal to think that the one fullwing who'd been through everything, been there throughout their history, short as it was, was now dead. All they had were memories now.

Adam repeated this procedure for each of the dead, reciting a short prayer for them as he added their names. There were cheers and tears of remembrance as their little ceremony was played out. In spite of the sadness, it was a rare moment of peace in a world of chaos.

Afterwards, once everyone had said goodbye, Adam took to the stage again, choosing this time to sit on the edge, looking out over the diverse groups of rebels.

"I was going to talk to you about our plans and where we're going next, but I think it can wait til tomorrow. Let's take one night off to celebrate and remember those who died for us. We could all use the chance to let off a little steam. I still find it amusing that Seb picked me to lead you. I suppose it's sort of what I deserve for being called Invincible. I may have to reassess my role in the final battle to come if my wings aren't ready by then, which I doubt they will be, damned soldiers cutting my wing feathers. But we'll get there. If we don't fight now, we'll lose our last chance to be free. Fail now, and there'll never be a next time. Yes, that much hinges on what we're preparing to do. This is no easy feat we're trying to achieve. We're attempting to change the course of this nation's history. We can free the people from tyrannical oppression. We can save ourselves from being utterly annihilated. Now's the time to seize the moment and take our future into our hands! We can fight them, and we can win! We will take back this country and deliver it to the people again! Now go and celebrate!" Adam said.

The crowd cheered again. As Adam looked over the crowd, he was surprised to see so many happy faces. Clearly morale wasn't so bad after all. Indeed, the courage and bravery of the soldiers who had defected from their commanding officer and rescued their fellow soldiers were embraced gladly, much to Adam's joy. He had hoped they wouldn't be isolated because they were Army people and indeed they weren't. All across the room, there were humans, fullwings and halfwings, Army and non-Army, all embraced in the same cause, the same grief, and that unity was something so precious and powerful to the rebellion. Hamish came and sat down beside him, bringing Adam out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Adam," Hamish said.

"Hey. Think I did alright?" Adam said.

"Yeah, you did fine," Hamish said.

"That's good to hear. I'm still getting the hang of this leader business," Adam said with a smile.

"Look at them. Look at how close they are, how they listen to you. You're a fine leader, Adam. No one else can rally them all together. I'm convinced of it," Hamish said. "So what does happen now?" he said after a moment's thought.

"We're expecting a delegation from the Chinese Government tomorrow, or at least in the next few days. They're the only country who is willing to meet with us and potentially help us," Adam said.

"But they've got as bad a human rights record as us. What makes you think they'll help us?" Hamish turned to look at Adam.

"Uranium, and coal. Plus, they've been shut out by the State in favour of Russia and India. I've heard reports they're getting desperate for energy, more so than before. We're starving them of energy. They want to help us so they can take back some of the supplies we've been refusing them. Being forced to your knees after such prosperity will make you do desperate things. I think they'll be willing to overlook a lot of things if it means they can ensure their power supply and their food supply. It takes something like that, and the right leader, to make a Government finally realise it has to take care of its citizens. I've got scouts watching for the delegation in case they get caught and captured, since they're not entering the country legally. China hasn't had an ambassador here for years," Adam said.

"Didn't they bulldoze the Embassy when they kicked them out? Way to cut diplomatic ties," Hamish said.

"Yeah, they did. China was furious at that, watching the Army move in and destroy their Embassy. They've refused to talk to the State until they agree to sell them the energy they need to keep their people alive," Adam said.

"That seems unlikely to happen any time soon," Hamish said.

Just then, Dom came running up to them, pushing his way through the crowd. He looked battered and bruised, but generally okay. He was breathing hard, as if he'd just arrived and run straight to Adam.

"Hey, Adam, c'mon, the Chinese are here. Barely managed to make it here alive. Someone tipped them off and they were followed. We managed to shake them off, but still. We managed to get here in once piece," Dom said, reaching in his jacket pocket for his puffer. His asthma was getting to him again.

"Already? I wasn't expecting them til tomorrow. Ah well. C'mon, Hamish, I want you in on these talks. Dom, get everyone rounded up who's needed," Adam said.

"Will do. They want to get started right away in case there's trouble. I promised we'd keep them safe and protected," Dom said.

"Excellent. We can't have them getting hurt. That they risked so much to come and meet with us is a sign that they're willing to do this. I hope this meeting will tie up our alliance at last," Adam said.

"I hope so too. Come on, they're waiting for us," Dom said.

* * *

Adam and Hamish slid off the stage and followed Dom to where the Chinese delegation was waiting for them, a group of six men in rather drab clothing to avoid suspicion. Dom left them to go get everyone else rounded up who needed to be there for the meetings.

"It's an honour to have you here. I'm Adam, leader of the rebels, and this is Hamish. I hope you're not hurt at all from your travels here," Adam said, bowing to them.

"Shaken, but not badly injured. We come because there is no other option. Our people are dying, Adam. We are being choked and starved to death. So yes, it is a selfish desire to ally, but I fear neither of us will be better off if we do not act. I have been sent personally from the Chinese President with his offer of assistance. Can we discuss this somewhere private?" the delegation's leader said.

"Of course, this way. The rest are waiting for us," Adam said, ushering them down towards the meeting room.

* * *

Charles dutifully served coffee and what food they could muster from their dwindling supplies as everyone settled down for their meeting. Adam, Hamish, Wil, Tim and Julian, the Chinese delegation and Charles were present to hash out their allegiance. Once everyone had been served, Charles took his place next to Julian.

"So, what's the situation at present? Has anything changed since we last spoke?" Adam said.

"The Chinese are keen to ally. The President is sympathetic to your cause and is open to sending aid and weapons to aid your rebellion. However, he wishes to make it clear he would require significant access to your energy resources, specifically your uranium, coal and gas, in exchange for what aid we can offer. We are not as rich as we once were. We can survive, we are surviving, but at significant cost. Much of the country is in darkness. We need energy to power our economy again. Can you help us achieve this since we were so cruelly cut off from your generosity after supporting your economy for so long beforehand?" the delegation's leader said.

"Both our countries are suffering. The gap between rich and poor here is vast and impenetrable. If you can't pay for your safety, you go hungry and fight for the meagre food supplies. If you can't bribe the Army for protection, you're on your own. It's time for both our countries to break free from the shackles that have starved us all for so long. We're willing to let you have the energy supplies you need in exchange for your assistance. There are only so many of us and we cannot overtake the country by sheer weight of numbers. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated," Adam said.

"Our position is a selfish one. Our country is dying, as is yours. In freeing your country from tyranny, we can assure the survival of our own people. Here are the terms of our allegiance. If you agree to it, you will have our aid. Otherwise, may you find the help you need elsewhere," the delegate leader said, handing over a document.

Adam, Wil, Tim, Charles and Julian read through it, going over each detail in the agreement and clarifying anything they took issue with up with the delegation for explanation. Finding nothing to cause concern, Julian even read the fine print very thoroughly three times, they agree to accept it.

"Your offer of allegiance is acceptable. May our actions together bring about prosperity for both our people," Adam said.

"Excellent. I will contact the President immediately. He will be keen to meet you at last to seal our agreement," the delegate's leader said.

"The President doesn't need to risk his life to meet me," Adam said.

"He insisted on coming. He is waiting outside. Allow me to fetch him," the delegate's leader said.

"Certainly. It would be an honour to meet him," Adam said, surprised at the lengths the Chinese would go to, just to ensure their energy supplies and their future prosperity.

The delegate bowed and left the room, returning promptly with the President, who they'd smuggled into the country with them. The President cut an impressive figure in spite of not being in his best dress and surrounded by minders and PR reps. Adam rose and greeted him, bowing respectfully to him.

"It's an honour to have you here in our humble abode, Mr President," Adam said.

"It was important to come and meet you at last. I have only met one of your kind once before. I insisted on meeting the leader of our new ally. I hope you will forgive the secrecy. It is risky enough just being here," the President said, speaking in English.

"Travel into and out of this country carries great risk associated with it, no matter who you are. Most of the people can't afford to travel, anyway. It's a great honour to have you here. Rest assured we will do all we can to ensure your safety while you're here," Adam said.

"I appreciate what little hospitality you can offer. I understand these are difficult times. Allow me to be frank with you. Once we were shut out, and our economy failed because of America falling into oblivion, we were humiliated. We do not take lightly to being humiliated. We have fought hard to keep our country from following America into oblivion. We have barely come out of this alive. I do not speak of this to our people so as to not cause them any further trouble, but coming to your aid will benefit both our countries. It will be good for our people to be seen to take an international stance in this world, to take down a country that has wronged us. Your people will benefit from being freed from tyranny. I understand you have some allies from the Armed Forces willing to rally to your cause. Since our alliance is sealed, we must sit and discuss what exactly you need and the exact nature of your plans for attack. Then we can arrange for supplies to be shipped to you," the President said.

"As you wish. How long will you and your delegation be staying, assuming we can secure your safe passage out of the country?" Adam said.

"We will stay as long as it is safe for us to do so. We have our own communication channels out of the country, as do you. However, things may necessitate us staying on while we get our plans organised and our forces together to invade. Have you a guaranteed safe passage from the north to the south? We will need to discuss the best way to attack and use both our forces to the greatest advantage. I understand your kind were designed to be soldiers. Have you any ideas how best your talents should be used in the battle?" the President said.

"We were designed to be super-soldiers, yes, albeit disposable ones. We can fly, we generally have excellent vision, and we're very strong and agile. We can be used as scouts or as fighters. Our knowledge of the intricacies of each capital city will be invaluable to you. Warfare is always bloody, we are the first to acknowledge that, but we would like to limit the blood loss as much as possible, and civilian casualties must be minimised. Our quarrel is with the State and the Armed Forces, not with the people. They are victims just as much as we are," Adam said.

"So how do you wish to proceed then? Targets are to be army bases and the houses of parliament? What is the best plan of attack in order to bring about a quick resolution to this?" the President said.

"I fear there will not be a quick resolution. The Army are stubbornly loyal and will not hesitate to shoot to kill, and they've reneged on their promise never to torture humans, the ordinary people who do not have wings. They are concerned about a possible rebellion. We know this from radio chatter we've heard between the army bases and the State. However, they don't seem to know anything specific, or if they do, they're not disclosing it. They are aware of growing disquiet amongst the people that isn't just coming from us. For some reason, the people are beginning to wake up to tyranny. If that's true, it may be easier to secure a shorter and less bloody rebellion than we first thought. There is nothing more vital than convincing the people that we are not trying to replace one tyrant with another. Much thought has gone into what happens should we be successful and the handover of power from us to a new parliament the people can trust. We will need to put in place many things that the current regime ripped up when they took power. We also do not agree that we should place a human or a winged human in charge. We think the best choice would be one of the halfwings, the hybrid group that comprises the bloodlines of both. However, we would not aim to dictate to the people who they should choose to rule them. Parliament should be made up of representatives of all people in the country, not just humans. You do realise that getting hold of the energy you need will not come quickly. None of this will be achieved quickly. Are you prepared for that?" Adam said.

"We have waged war before, Adam. We understand this. However, no other option is available to us. It is unfortunate your country possesses all the resources we need, otherwise we would happily source these things elsewhere. We have nothing left to lose in doing this. We are already being starved to death. If we do not secure mine sites and resources now, we are finished. Yes, this is a selfish war we want to wage. There are not many countries that still are able to do such a thing when they are so desperate. The world economies will not recover unless something is done to kick-start both our countries into prosperity again. Someone must act, and if no one else will, then it must be us. There is nothing else to do," the President said.

"You are the only ones willing to talk to us. We did approach Japan and Indonesia, but to no avail. Japan refused to get involved in internal politics, and Indonesia was too distrustful of us to make any sort of decent alliance between us. They have been burnt by Australian diplomacy in the past. The damage is irreparable, which is regrettable on both sides. We are thankful you've agreed to help us out. We are in dire need of the manpower. We can smuggle weapons from the Army itself, which helps a lot, however, it may not be enough to ensure our victory. This is where you come in. The distraction will be enough to help us gain the upper hand. We've had plans to take out specific targets such as power stations and the like, in order to cut off their communication channels and allow us the best chance to take over. We do not want to massacre them as they would massacre us. Showing that kind of face to the people will not endear them to us. We are well aware of that. Our plan needs to be strategic, effective and efficient. We don't have the resources to wage an all-out war, so we need to find ways to use what we have in the most effective way," Adam said.

"Indeed, we don't have the army we used to have. But we will endeavour to help you in the best way we can, for the sake of both our countries," the President said.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Andrew find themselves arrested on the way back from a recon trip, and discover the military have a few surprises of their own waiting for them.
> 
> This chapter contains the brainwashing sequence I wrote without really knowing what I was doing before discovering it was rather more realistic than I had anticipated. &gt;_&gt; And, in another weird freaky thing, I wrote this years before I found out Andrew had once had ECT to treat his depression. IDEK. o.O

Charles drove into the night, leaving their last safe haven far behind, burning into the ground. Andrew was curled up next to him, fast asleep. It was late, after 2am. They needed to get home quickly. They'd managed to avoid the cops once before. Charles wasn't convinced they'd manage it again as they approached the last checkpoint into the main city. He pulled up as the cops stopped them, leaning against the car.

"Can I see some ID thanks?" one of them said.

"Sure, here you go," Charles handed over his fake ID card, hoping it cleared.

"And your mate," the cop said with spite, gesturing to Andrew asleep next to Charles.

Charles turned to Andrew, trying to wake him. "Hey, wake up, mate. Got your ID?"

Andrew grudgingly woke up, glaring at Charles as he fished out his ID and handed it over, continuing to curl up beside Charles.

The officer stepped back a touch as he consulted with his partner, checking their IDs. Charles got nervy when they started talking into their radios, though he couldn't hear what they were talking about. He didn't like the look on their faces when they approached the car again.

"Step out of the car, please. Both of you," one of them said.

Charles shoved Andrew to wake him again. "Get up, shithead."

Andrew woke and let Charles drag him out of the car. He stood there beside Charles, annoyed at not being allowed to sleep. He was counting on the trip home to catch up on the sleep he'd missed out on while they were away.

"Are you aware these IDs are fake?" the cop said.

"They're fake? No way, I swear, they're not fake," Charles said, protesting his innocence.

"That's not my problem. I'm arresting you for possession of forged documents. We're taking you into custody," the cop said, grabbing Charles' wrists as he shoved him back against the car, cuffing his hands behind his back. Andrew backed off as the other officer turned on him, almost breaking his wrist as he shoved him against the car and cuffed him.

They were shoved and pushed into the back of an Army truck, surrounded by armed soldiers. Charles glanced at Andrew. He looked terrified. Charles could do nothing for him. He was held back when he tried to get near him to comfort him. Pulled apart, they were blindfolded and drugged before the truck drove off towards the nearby army base.

* * *

Charles was left in a cold small cell, still cuffed. Andrew was thrown into a similar cell. No one came to see them until they'd woken up again. Soldiers dragged them both off to separate parts of the army base for two completely separate reasons. The cuffs were finally removed as Charles was pushed into a chair opposite an angry looking officer with a set of papers in front of him. Charles couldn't see what was on them, although he was determined not to speak. Another officer and the soldiers who brought him here hang back from the table, watching him like a hawk.

"What's your name?" the officer said.

"Sergeant David Matthews, 8th brigade," Charles said, repeating his guise.

"Bullshit. He doesn't exist. I want your real name, punk," the officer said.

"Henry Burgmann," Charles half-lied again.

"It's Charles Firth. You're a shit liar. It's a miracle you weren't caught sooner," the officer said.

"Stroke of luck," Charles conceded. If they knew who he was, what else did they know?

"I'll say. You've got quite the criminal record, Charles. How is it you've managed to avoid jail?" the officer said.

"Stroke of luck," Charles repeated, not willing to reveal anything he didn't have to.

"I think you've got friends in high places. Who's looking after you?" the officer said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Charles said.

"Sure you don't. A rich kid like you always has protection of some sort. It's how you pricks survive in the world at the expense of the rest of us," the officer said with a sneer.

"I live my own life. My family disowned me years ago," Charles said.

"Sure you do. Doesn't mean you can't afford protection. We have reason to believe you have knowledge of some sort of rebellion to take down the State, allying with those filthy mutants," the officer said.

"Oh yeah? Why would you think I knew anything about that?" Charles said, unable to avoid being a smartarse with him.

"That's classified. If you won't talk voluntarily, we'll quite happily loosen your tongue for you," the officer said with a sneer, signalling to the two soldiers to come forward.

Charles looked up at them as they approached; he was quite certain he knew exactly what was about to happen to him.

* * *

Still cuffed, Andrew found himself strapped down onto a table of some sort, or perhaps a chair, he was still too groggy to discern which one it was. He couldn't tell if he was lying flat, or if he was on an angle. His brain couldn't tell. The cuffs were removed at last once the rest of his body had been secured so they could pin his arms down. The room was bare, save for the machines surrounding the table that looked like medical equipment. It was all he saw before he was blindfolded with something thick that seemed to block everything out. Whatever they were, they felt quite heavy. He thought there might be others in the room with him, whispering in hushed voices, doing things to him. He wasn't sure if he was even still wearing clothes or not. Something was placed on his head and strapped down. It bit into his temples, and his ears were blocked with what could've been earphones of some description. His already screwed sense of balance was even more screwed. Andrew would have cried out were it not for the gag preventing him from speaking. He wasn't aware of the drip attached to one arm, nor of the clear liquid they injected into him.

Andrew's body stung with pain. Dizziness set in. The room was flooded with darkness. White noise filled the air, screeching in pain. Andrew wanted to scream again. The noise was hurting his head. He tried to break out of his restraints, but he was too weak.

A soft voice whispering in his ear shocked him out of his dizziness.

_'You will take him,'_ it commanded quietly.

Andrew panicked, not sure what it was referring to, nor who was speaking. He wanted to answer, but the gag held him in silence. He was beginning to feel claustrophobic, which didn't help his panic at all.

_'Your friend, the one with wings. The selfish one. The childish one. The one who makes you jealous, steals what is yours,'_ the voice whispered.

_Craig? W-what's this got to do with Craig?_ Andrew had nothing but thoughts now. _Who are you?_

_'We are the pretty ones. We look after lost souls like you. But not your friend. Oh no. Craig's been naughty. He must be punished. He tells you lies. He mustn't be allowed to live. Bring him to us. Bring him to us and be safe,'_ the voice whispered, picking the name out of his head.

Andrew whimpered, scared of the voice in his head. Was it real? Was it all an illusion, a hallucination? How was it able to read his thoughts?

_'We are as real as you are. We are the pretty ones. We are your only saviour now. Take him. Bring him to us. You will be rewarded,'_ the voice said, slowly breaking down his resolve.

_Why? He's my friend. I won't betray him._

_'Yes, you will. You have no other choice. You will do as we say, or you will be punished,'_ the voice threatened.

_No. I won't betray him. I would sooner die than betray him._

_'Your wish is our command,'_ the voice said harshly.

The white noise increased in volume, screeching inside Andrew's head. Andrew's cries of pain were muffled. He struggled against the restraints, terrified of the pain coursing through his body as if he was being electrocuted.

It was unrelenting, coming in short bursts with no regular timing, never giving him time to get used to it. Just as the pain faded away, it came back again. Andrew couldn't think. He didn't know how to make it stop, nor did he have a voice to stop it. The one voice that came to his aid was of no comfort to him at all.

"The cops don't torture humans," came Craig's voice into his head.

_How I wish you were right, Craig._

Craig's not-so-comforting words were blasted away as the pain flared up again. Andrew was sure he was being killed, albeit slowly, for refusing to do what the voice asked him to do. He could do nothing to stop them. Maybe he should just give in and die rather than betray his friends. Maybe it would stop the pain. He closed his eyes and let go, hoping for peace.

* * *

Beaten and sore, Charles was dragged back into the cold metal seat for another round of questioning. One of the soldiers firmly held him down with a hand on his shoulder, making sure he knew he'd be beaten again if he didn't answer their questions.

"Now let's see how stubborn you are," the officer said, sitting back. "State your name for the record."

"No comment," Charles said through his teeth.

The soldier by his side punched Charles' face hard. "Answer him!"

"Fuck you," Charles said, refusing to speak.

"Do you know what I hate? Deserters. I'm gonna slit your throat for your abhorrent disregard for duty," the officer said, getting to his feet.

"If you'd seen what I saw, you'd have deserted too. I don't regret it for a moment," Charles said.

"There is no excuse for deserting. You're a traitor to that uniform. How dare you still wear it. It's time you faced your punishment at last," the officer said, whacking Charles across the face, clearly disgusted by his presence.

Charles didn't bother responding. He knew he'd deserted. Clearly, he knew everything about him and his past. Charles said nothing as he was pulled to his feet and held down, pressed down against the table. He was determined to die before he would betray the rebellion. If that meant being beaten, tortured and raped, so be it. If it saved them finding out about them, it was worth it.

* * *

Andrew was exhausted. The unrelenting pain was wearing him down. His muscles ached, his head ached, still dizzy and tired. He was ready to give in, even if his mind wasn't capable of making such a rational decision.

_'You will obey us. You will take him. You will take him and hide away and wait to contact us. Bring him to us and you will be rewarded,'_ the voice suggested, returning to flood his tired brain with its commands.

_Yes._

He was too tired to resist now.

_'You are wise to obey us. You will be rewarded,'_ the voice said.

The white noise quietened in his head. Cold hands removed the gag, although he was still bound tightly. The blindfold wasn't removed.

_'Drink. You will need your strength,'_ the voice commands as a cup is raised to Andrew's lips, spilling cool liquid down his throat.

Andrew drinks gratefully, desperate for this to end. The voice made it clear it wouldn't hurt him if he co-operated. Maybe that's all he needed to do to get out of here alive.

_'This place. You will take him here. Lock him away, shut him away, and wait for us,'_ the voice commanded.

The voice showed him where to go, showing his mind the cave where he was to take Craig. It showed him the route he was to take.

"Why… why am I doing this again?" Andrew whispered.

_'Because we need him back. He's ours. He belongs to us. You will bring him to us,'_ the voice said.

"I… w-will bring… him…" Andrew's words were uncertain, questioning still the reasons behind this.

_'You will bring him, or you will not leave this room alive,'_ the voice threatened.

Andrew whimpered again, not sure he wanted to find out how the voice would kill him. "I will - bring him," he said, more certain of his agreement if only to save his own skin.

_'Good boy. Now, sleep, you are tired and need your strength. Soon, you will be free,'_ the voice promised, purring into his ears.

Andrew was overcome with tiredness, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, letting the voice soothe him and calm his fears. It was almost as if the voice was caressing his body gently, taking the pain away, giving him relief at last. At the very least, that was what it felt like. Andrew was in no state to work out what was real and what wasn't. All he wanted to do was sleep. He didn't even notice the same cold hands replacing the gag again as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Charles remained resolutely disobedient. No amount of beating would make him speak. He sat across from the officer questioning him, defiant in spite of their efforts to make him talk. He was bruised, beaten and sore, but he didn't care. He would die before he would give up the rebellion. The officer was driven to the point of utter frustration by his defiance at his continued refusal to answer his questions and his lack of regret from deserting. This officer took particular umbrage at his desertion more than anything else.

"You! Go see if they've finished with his friend. If they have, bring him in here and see if he'll talk then," the officer said. He'd gone through their questions yet again, and Charles refused to answer him. It was time to use blackmail. If that didn't produce a result, nothing would.

Charles tried not to react. The implication that they'd done something to Andrew scared him. What if he wasn't as stubborn as he was? Would he talk? Charles tried not to dwell on it as he waited.

The soldier the officer addressed left the room to fetch Andrew. Charles sat there and tried not to show his fear.

* * *

Andrew slept, that little voice whispering to him words of cruelty and betrayal, making him dream what it wanted him to dream about. He was still restrained, and he fought against the bonds as he struggled in his sleep, muttering quiet words of surrender.

The soldier had arrived. He watched Andrew sleep, unconcerned at his suffering. "Is he ready yet, ma'am?"

"Not yet. The programming isn't complete," said the soldier in charge of the operation.

"How long?"

"Twelve hours at the very least. It really needs to sink into his subconscious. This does not happen in half an hour in spite of what an excellent canditate for this he is. Go tell your superior he can have him when he's ready and not a moment sooner," the soldier said, making it clear her orders would be obeyed.

"Yes ma'am," the soldier said, saluting her before he turned and left.

Andrew slept on, oblivious to their conversation around him, eyes rapidly moving under his lids as the voice told him what he was supposed to do.

* * *

"The subject isn't ready yet, sir," the soldier said, returning to the interrogation room where Charles was.

"Take him back to his cell. We'll finish this later," the officer said. "You stay. Give me a report. You two, get him out of here."

Charles was grabbed by the arms and dragged away. He didn't bother protesting. The soldier sent to fetch Andrew remained behind.

"How long?" the officer asked once the room was empty.

"Twelve hours minimum. Her orders, sir," the soldier said.

The officer sighed. "Alright then. If that's what it'll take to make it work. This may be our best chance to get them. I'm not giving up now," he said.

* * *

The soldier in charge of Andrew's programming peered at his still figure. She had never had such a willing and pliable subject before. The pretty ones she served had suggested him as a perfect host for them. When she'd looked into his history, she had to agree. What the pretty ones had planned made him the perfect candidate for them. He had the necessary experience, skills and personality to pull it off successfully. Even now, they whispered their approval as they corrupted Andrew's mind.

"Ma'am? Ma'am, do you need me further?"

She startled as one of the soldiers she was in charge of interrupted her. "Hmm? Oh, no, not for the moment," she said.

"Can I break for ten?" the soldier asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure. But bring me a coffee first, will you?" she said.

"Yes, Ma'am." The soldier saluted and left to fetch coffee, understanding what she meant by her words.

Alone again, she returned to her gazing. She walked around him, brushing her fingers against his arm, watching how he flinched at the stimulation.

"You're very pretty, you are. The pretty ones made a good choice with you, my pet. May I play with him? I think he needs to be played with," she said quietly.

She trailed her fingers up and down his chest, drawing circles. She watched for his reactions as she caressed his skin, wondering how long she could control herself before she had to have her way with him. The pretty ones didn't often let her fuck her subjects, but they gave such energy to it that she was getting quite addicted to it. She found it quite perverse, but thankfully, her assistants knew to keep quiet about it, otherwise her experiments would be shut down and she'd be discharged.

She slid her coat off as she walked over to the door to lock it. She entered a code into the number pad next to the light switch that shut off the cameras watching her. A smirk of satisfaction on her lips as she returned to his side, brushing her fingers along his arm again. Andrew flinched in his sleep, but didn't wake. Satisfied he could feel her touch, even if he couldn't wake from his sleep, she continued, testing his reactions as she moved her fingers from his arm to his chest and down between his legs, softly caressing his skin.

* * *

Charles was given a meagre meal before being left alone in his cell to wait. There was no mention of how long he would be there for, nor if Andrew was alright. He'd just have to sit it out and wait and hope they were both released alive. Charles was convinced their arrest was not a coincidence now. They had something planned, he just didn't know what.

Half-satisfied by the food he'd been given, he curled up stiffly on the poor excuse of a bed to try and get some sleep. What else was there to do?

* * *

_'Wake, child, wake at last. It's time to begin your work. Remember, speak of this to no one. We will know if you've told, and then, you will plead for death by the time we're through with you,'_ the voice said, bringing Andrew out of his deep sleep.

Tired and groggy, Andrew woke. His body felt numb. He couldn't see anything. Hands appeared to be tending to him, though what they were doing he couldn't tell. He was being lifted off whatever he'd been lying on and placed down onto something else. He felt incredibly weak. He registered nothing around him as he was wheeled away into another room.

The room was as bare as the last one and filled with similar equipment. Now he noticed people, although their faces were vague. Perhaps they were nurses. They lifted him onto something, making him sit up as they examined him. They were talking, although he didn't know what they were saying.

All he could think of was the cave. It was a fixed image in his mind. He had to go there when he was free, because he was sure he would be free, and he knew what he had to do to get there. Nothing else filled his mind. He'd forgotten about Charles, of the rebellion, of everything else except his mission.

_'Forget, forget! You know what to do. The pretty ones will call you when you are needed. For now, nothing has happened. All you want is to go home with your Charles,'_ the voice said, still commanding his obedience, though Andrew still couldn't work out where it was coming from now that he didn't have the headpiece on.

"M-My Charles?" Andrew breathed, tentative, unsure what the voice meant as the cave faded from view, waiting to be triggered.

_'Your Charles misses you. He will take you home and look after you. No one else matters,'_ the voice said.

"My Charles. No one else matters," Andrew murmurs.

The other people in the room didn't seem to notice his muttering as they made sure he was alright. He ate the meal they gave him without question, unable to think, to function, properly.

* * *

They didn't bother restraining him again when they took him away from the room. They were almost gentle about it, escorting him through many winding identical corridors until they stopped outside a guarded room.

"Is this the one?" one of the soldiers said.

"Yes. We're expected," one of the people escorting Andrew said.

The soldier nods to the other and opens the door for them. Andrew finds himself thrust inside the room, the door shut behind him. Unsupported, Andrew sunk to the floor, his knees unable to hold his weight.

They'd made sure Charles could see Andrew being brought to them. Charles couldn't help running to him, cradling him in his arms. Andrew had started shaking, and his skin felt very cold. In spite of his shivering, he's unaware that he's naked, just that he's very cold and in need of his Charles to comfort him. The soldiers advanced on them. Charles shielded him as best he could, not wanting them to hurt him.

"Get up, both of you," one of the soldiers ordered.

Charles grabbed onto Andrew and lifted him up as he struggled to his feet. It was clear Andrew couldn't stand. He'd have to carry him. Andrew latched onto him weakly, barely managing to hang on as Charles manoeuvred him in his arms so he was carrying him comfortably.

"Get out of here. Move! You'd better behave yourselves. We'll be watching you closely," said the officer who'd been interrogating Charles.

* * *

Charles didn't doubt him. He carried Andrew out as best he could. He was escorted out of the base and back to his truck that had been driven to the base by one of the soldiers. Charles managed to get Andrew into the truck, although he still hadn't spoken a word.

"Andrew? You alright, mate?" Charles said as he got in the truck and prepared to drive off.

Andrew didn't reply. Instead, he curled up against the seat, pulling a blanket around him. Andrew tried to speak, but his voice refused.

"Shit. Come on, let's get you out of here," Charles said, starting up the truck and speeding off into the night.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles and Andrew arrive back at the haven and try to sort out what happened to them.

Charles didn't worry about being caught. He figured if they let them go, they were probably safe, for the moment. Or, alternatively, they were up to something terrible. Either way, Charles felt it was best to get home as soon as possible. But not before Charles got too paranoid and ditched their truck for another, just in case they'd put a tracker on it. He didn't want them following him back to the safe haven.

Andrew remained as he was the entire journey home. Charles glanced over at him every so often, worried about him. There was no time to comfort him until they arrived back at the haven apart from a few soft words as Charles was carrying him between trucks, and Andrew whimpering in return and clinging to him desperately.

Charles carried him inside gently. Andrew still clung to him. He refused to let go of him even once they were safe inside. Chris and Craig hurried to find them once they saw them arrive back. They found Charles lying on Andrew's bed, Andrew refusing to leave him.

"Shit, is he alright, Charles? What happened out there?" Chris said, rushing to Andrew's side.

"We got arrested. I-I don't know what they did to him. I was just beaten and shit, asked me all these questions. They know far more than they're letting on. I'm concerned we may have a spy amongst us. Can you get Julian? I need to tell him what happened," Charles said.

"Yeah, sure. Craig, d'you wanna go fetch him?" Chris said.

"Oh, yeah. Sure. I'll be right back," Craig said, leaving them alone.

Chris went to stroke Andrew's face, but Andrew flinched and pulled away, terrified. "N-no, not you! Only Charles! My Charles!" Andrew said and clutched onto him even tighter.

"Andrew? It's me, Chris. Are you alright?" Chris said, concerned at what might've happened to him.

"I don't know if he's alright. I think they did something to him, though I'm not sure what. He's been like this since they brought him back to me and kicked us out. That's the only thing I've heard him say," Charles said.

"Shit. They better not have hurt you, love. I should've gone with you. Maybe I could've protected him," Chris said.

"It's not your fault. You couldn't have prevented this any more than I could," Charles said.

"But he's my responsibility. I promised I'd look after him," Chris said.

"I did my best. It's hard to say no when you're surrounded by soldiers brandishing their weapons and beating you senseless," Charles said.

"Shit. You'd better be alright, Andrew," Chris said.

"Oh, thank Christ you're back! I was wondering what had kept you!" Julian said as he rushed into the room.

"We got ourselves arrested. For some reason, they let us go. Chris? D'you mind leaving me to speak to Julian alone?" Charles said.

"Uh, sure. I'll… I'll just be outside," Chris said, reluctantly leaving them in peace.

"I may come across as paranoid, Jules, but they know too much. The cops. Why else would they let us go?" Charles whispered harshly.

"I dunno, why'd they arrest you in the first place?" Julian said.

"Forging IDs. I'd have accepted that story, but that's not what they asked me about when they interrogated me," Charles said.

"You didn't-"

"No, I held my tongue. I refused to speak. Got myself beaten and raped for my trouble. Bastards. There was no way I was telling them anything. I was prepared to die before I denounced the rebellion," Charles said.

"You're a brave man, Charles, and a stubborn bastard. I bet they hated you. So what happened to Andrew?"

"I don't know. We were separated almost immediately upon arriving at the army base. I didn't see him until the very end. He was just like he is now. I'm not sure what they did to him, but I doubt it was good," Charles said.

Andrew whimpered and balled his fists in Charles' shirt, seeking comfort and protection from him.

"I-I don't know what they did to him. We're lucky to be alive though. You'd think they'd execute any rebels they happened to arrest. We're alive for a reason, and I think Andrew has something to do with it," Charles said, more convinced than ever that something was amiss.

"You sure he's not just reacting to being arrested?" Julian said.

"I don't know what to think. If he'd just speak to me, tell me what they did to him, I might be able to stop worrying," Charles said.

"I… I don't remember what they did to me. Nothing at all," Andrew whimpered. "Don't leave me, Charles. Please. I'm scared to be alone."

"He does not look alright to me, Julian," Charles said.

"Hmm. I'll send the docs around to check him over. If he consents to letting you go at some point, come and give me a full account of what happened, alright?" Julian said, getting to his feet.

"Thanks. Will do, if I manage to settle him down enough to leave him," Charles said.

Andrew watched Julian leave, eyes wide with terror. Charles held him close and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Andrew curled into him and began crying. Charles rubbed his back gently, trying to soothe him.

"Come on, mate, settle down. It'll be alright, just you wait," Charles murmured.

* * *

Andrew clung to Charles until the doctors arrived to look him over. Charles slowly eased his consent out of him, watching as his fingers slowly let go of him. Andrew grudgingly let them check him over, making sure he was alright. Andrew sat on the edge of the bed, one hand still clutching onto Charles' sleeve for protection.

Andrew was quite convinced he did not want to be left alone. He needed Charles there. As long as Charles was there, everything would be alright. Andrew stared into space. He could remember nothing of what had happened. He felt he should be able to remember, but he simply had no memory of it. Everything was black. He even had trouble retrieving any memories at all from the rest of his life. He knew he'd done things, but he had no memory of them. He was a little scared now.

"Charles? I think they wiped my memory. I can't remember anything about who I am. What's going on? Where am I?" Andrew said.

"Shit, Andrew, you're back at the safe haven. You're with the rebellion. You'll be alright, you know. Come on, just let the doctors check you over so we know you're not hurt, alright?" Charles said.

_'We know who you are. You are a spy for the Government. You still work Intelligence. Collect information about this rebellion and store it. Be invisible and unnoticed. We will tell you when to report back to your superiors. Speak a word of your mission to anyone and we will kill you immediately,'_ the voice supplied, giving Andrew's confused mind a context with which to interact with this strange group of people.

_Spy. Report. Heathen rebels. We will crush them. They will never know I'm working against them_, Andrew thought, finally happy he had some sort of role now.

"Alright. That-that's fine," Andrew said.

Andrew didn't speak after that. He was too busy taking in everything Charles was telling him about the rebellion to jog his memory. Andrew feigned remembrance and familiarity to reassure Charles he would be fine. This Charles was a good man, even though he was on the enemy's side.

Once they'd left them alone, satisfied Andrew was at least physically alright apart from some bruises that suggested a beating or two, with a promise to send the only psychiatrist they had around, Charles spent the next hour or so trying to soothe him into sleep. When Andrew finally drifted off, Charles was too tired to go and see Julian. He'd go see him later, depending on how Andrew was when he woke up.

_'You're a good boy, Andrew. Now sleep and relax. We'll aid you in your mission.'_

Andrew settled down to sleep, unaware of what the voice in his head was really doing to his mind.

* * *

Chris and Craig sat around the main hall, mostly in silence. Chris was agitated. He wanted to go and be with Andrew, but Charles had flat-out refused it. Craig lounged on one of the couches, watching Chris pacing in front of him.

"Will you fucking calm down? This won't make him better," Craig said, finally cracking.

"I should be in there with him, not Charles! I'm the one he loves, not Charles!" Chris growled, slumping down next to Craig, fuming at being left out.

"Give him time. He'll want to see you eventually," Craig said.

"He'd better. I've been so worried about him," Chris said, leaning against Craig, seeking comfort from him as he'd done the entire time Andrew was away.

Craig wrapped an arm around him, bringing him in close. "I know you're worried about him. I would be too if the same had happened to Caleb. I wonder if they did what I think they did to him," he mused darkly, not sure he wanted to contemplate what might've happened to him.

"What are you thinking of, Craig?" Chris said.

"Torture. What if they tortured him? What if they've destroyed him completely?" Craig said.

"No way. No way did they torture him. That's - How can you even suggest that, Craig?" Chris said.

"I'm just saying. I've seen what they can do to people, I've experienced it. He does not look alright. They did something bad to him, I'm convinced of it. What other explanation is there? He would not be that traumatised if they'd just questioned him. No, he's showing clear signs of trauma. As to what caused that trauma, that's for him to tell us when he feels up to it," Craig said.

"Look, let's not speculate on these things when we don't know anything. Charles doesn't even know what they did to him. The only one who can tell us anything is Andrew, and right now, he's not in any state to talk so quit scaring me with insinuations of torture, alright?" Chris said.

"Alright, fine, I'll shut up about it. But if I'm proved right, don't come complaining to me, alright?" Craig said.

"Shut up, Craig. Just - shut up. It's bad enough thinking about what they did to you. I don't need the same images of the same things being done to Andrew, alright?" Chris said, clearly uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going.

"Sorry. I suppose I'm just far too familiar with that and I know what it can do to you. I really hope they haven't touched Andrew at all. If they've tortured him, I swear I'm going to fuckin' murder the ones who touched him," Craig said, his determination shocking Chris.

"Settle down, mate. Don't get angry unless you have to, alright? We've got more important things to worry about," Chris said.

"You'd say differently if you'd been through what I've been through," Craig said quietly.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be insensitive, I just don't want you getting all over-excited over pure speculation, that's all," Chris said.

"It's a sensitive issue for me, alright? You, you're human, you've never had to live in fear your entire life. Me? I've had to run all the time, keep on running, never being allowed to stop for fear that they'll catch me and kill me. Do you understand the kind of stress that places on you? I've been arrested and held more times than I'd like to admit, and never once have they treated me like a human being. My experience with them is much different from yours. I'm outside the law, you're not. You can get justice for mistreatment, I just have to live with it. From my perspective, seeing Andrew like that makes me scared. I've seen what torture can do to someone. The Army have no qualms at all in using whatever technique they want to get you to speak. Nothing is illegal now, hasn't been for years. They will make you speak. Even the strongest of wills will succumb to them eventually. I held out as long as I could before they broke me. By then, I told them whatever they wanted to hear. It made the pain lessen, which is all you care about at that stage. Everything aches, you're always cold and hungry, you're so tired you think you could sleep forever, but the torture keeps going on, never ceasing. They drive you crazy. I do not say that lightly. I'm still surprised I managed to survive two weeks of it and still come out relatively sane. But it scarred me forever. It never leaves me alone. I would never wish this on anyone, not even Andrew, but it's a possibility that can't be ignored. That's all I'm saying," Craig said, trying very hard not to break down in front of Chris.

"I'm sorry for what you've been through. It's hard for me to understand, I know that, but I'm trying. It scares me. I've known you for years. I had no idea you were hiding that at all. It makes me scared to think they did that to you and you didn't tell anyone," Chris said.

"Yeah, well, at least you said hi when I arrived back. No one else seemed to care," Craig said glumly.

"You didn't give any indication of being hurt or traumatised. What were we supposed to think? You hid it so well we had no idea you'd been tortured. And now that the same thing's may have happened to Andrew? That scares me shitless to think the one person I love has been hurt like that and I couldn't stop it. I want to be in there with him so badly. I just want to make it better. Why won't Charles let me see him?" Chris said, concern for Andrew taking over again.

"Dunno mate. He did seem to want to cling to Charles back there. I can understand that if he thinks he's the only one who'll understand him. I've seen it happen before. No way of knowing until we hear his side of the story. Although the way he pulled away in fear from you concerns me. That is not the sort of reaction from someone who's been tortured. He seemed convinced the only person he was supposed to be with was Charles. That suggests they messed with his head in some manner, and that has me concerned even more. Torture is one thing, but brainwashing is quite another. If they've got him triggered for something, then we need to be watching him very closely. We have no way of knowing what they did to him or what they may have programmed him for, if they indeed did do that to him. This is not good, Chris, not good at all," Craig said.

"Oh God, he'd better be alright. If they've destroyed him, I'll-"

"Now you know why I'm concerned for him and why I want to rip apart those who did this to him. This is inhumane! This is what we're fighting against! This is what we want to eradicate! I will not have the citizens of this country, and I include everyone in the country, not just the official citizens, subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment at the hands of their own military! They are human rights abuses against our own people! It must be stopped!" Craig said, his pain, determination and passion flowing into his words.

"I hear you, Craig," Chris murmured, lost for anything else to say.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear about Andrew? Got any idea what might've happened to him?" Hamish said, slumping down on the couch next to Andy.

"Hmm? Yeah, none of that sounds good at all. Not sure what might've happened, but I wouldn't rule out brainwashing and torture. There's no guessing what they're capable of now. From what little of their story that I've heard, it sounds very suspicious. It doesn't sound plausible that it was an order from the top though. All the intelligence we've received so far has suggested they don't actually know we have an organised rebellion, nor who might be part of it, which makes Andrew and Charles' arrest even stranger. I mean, we know a small collection of Generals seem to be onto us but their suspicions never seem to reach the top, so we generally discount that as official knowledge. Unless they had some reason to suspect those two were involved and wanted to interrogate them to find out. I don't know, though. I'm not willing to suggest anything until I know the full story," Andy said.

"Hmm. I suppose so. I hope he's going to be alright," Hamish said. "Hey, I'm glad you're here. I've got someone to keep me company when Adam's away."

"Adam's not away right now, is he?" Andy said.

"Well, no, but, you know, just wanted to say so," Hamish said, snuggling up to him.

"You're such a girl, you know. That's why you need a tough soldier like me to look after you cos you're so defenceless," Andy said.

"Hey, I am not defenceless! I did learn how to fire a gun eventually, you know," Hamish said, trying to prove he was as good as Andy was.

"But you're one of the few men in this country who has never had cadet training. And I think I know why your mother was so determined to keep you out of the service," Andy said.

"What, apart from not wanting me to get killed?" Hamish said.

"No, I think she wanted to keep your parentage a secret." Andy shifted to face him, leaning into the corner.

"My parentage? What's wrong with my parentage?" Hamish said.

"Take your shirt off. I want a closer look at those scars on your back," Andy said.

"This is just an excuse to perve on me now, isn't it?" Hamish said, obeying anyway.

Andy shifted closer to him, turning him around to get a better look. "Tell me what you feel when I do this." Andy ran a finger down one of the scars gently, watching for his reaction.

Hamish shivered, a sudden spurt of tingly nerves firing off down his back. "Jesus. What the fuck was that?"

Andy tried the other scar. "Are there nerves there? Are they firing when I touch them?"

Hamish shivered again. "Jesus, yes, of course they are. Why wouldn't they?"

"Do you get the same reaction when I do this?" Andy said, running his finger down another part of his back away from the scars.

"Maybe it's just because it isn't scar tissue." Hamish tried to write off the growing realisation of what Andy was trying to show him.

Andy obligingly ran his finger down another scar, this one slicing across his lower back. "Same reaction?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Hamish said.

"I might get Sam to test your blood, but I strongly suspect you're a halfwing and that's why your mum didn't want you in the Armed Forces because they would take your blood and discover what you are," Andy said.

"No, but, no, mum wouldn't do that. I mean, sure, dad ran out when I was a kid, but he was human. I'm sure he was human. Mum said he was human," Hamish said.

"Agree to a blood test then and we'll see who's right," Andy challenged.

"Okay then. Let's go right now. Fifty bucks says I'm not halfwing," Hamish said, getting to his feet.

"Fifty bucks says you are," Andy said, standing up.

"Come on, let's go find Sam," Hamish said, grabbing Andy's hand as he pulled him out of his room.

* * *

Asleep in Charles' arms, Andrew was troubled by vicious dreams. His memories were returning, and they were threatening to contradict the orders the voice had given him. His mind was fighting for its sanity. The voice won out in the end. Andrew succumbed to the false identity, his military training flooding back and taking over his mind. He was a soldier again, an interrogator. He was charged with breaking into the rebellion and discovering how to smash it. The voice would make him act when the time was right and guide him on his mission. It showed him nightmares, instilling his fear and obedience, and left him shaking and whimpering in Charles' arms as the one small speck of resistance in him was driven out and destroyed until there was nothing left to stop the voice owning him completely.

_'That's right, Andrew, give yourself to us completely. We're the only ones who can save you now,'_ the voice whispered, caressing his spirit into obedience.

_But-But Chris said, and Charles, they said-_

_'Silence! Chris is a betrayer, like Craig. Charles didn't break his promise. Even now he holds you and protects you. You are only safe with him and with us, understood?'_

_Y-yes, I understand._

_'Let us show you again what happens if you disobey us,'_ the voice said harshly.

Andrew whimpered in his sleep, tormented by vicious scenes of pain and torture. He was at the point where he was willing to surrender to the voice if it meant he'd never be hurt again. He didn't like being hurt. He wanted to be safe and that's what the voice promised. What else was he to think? The voice knew his thoughts, could read into the deepest part of his mind. There was no hiding from it, no lying to it. Why fight it?

_I am yours forever. Keep me safe._

_'You are wise to serve us. Great rewards will follow for strict obedience to our words,'_ the voice soothed.

Andrew slowly settled down as the voice caressed his troubled mind, reassuring him he was safe and that no one would hurt him.

_'Remember. Talk to no one about this. Our plans are our secret, alright? If they ask what happened, you were just shaken from being interrogated. They were harsh with you and beat you. Gain Charles' sympathy. He will look after you. You, poor fragile little thing, you need someone to take good care of you. What's a tiny thing like you doing fighting in a war anyway? You're much better with us. We won't make you fight. You'll be safe with us, no more fear. You'll have everything you need. You'll never go hungry again. How does that sound?'_ the voice cooed.

_Good. It sounds good. I… I don't like fighting. I'm too weak, too pathetic. I'll just hold them up if I stay. Will you take me away from this and look after me?_

_'Of course. Do what we ask of you and we'll look after you for eternity.'_

Andrew seemed satisfied with that answer and fell into a more soothing sleep, with the voice continuing to whisper soothing words to him, cementing its plan into his subconscious without any resistance at all.

* * *

Charles was awake long before Andrew was. He was relieved to see Andrew sleeping peacefully. He seemed to have settled down at last. Maybe he had been overreacting last night when he though they'd done something to him. Charles contented himself with just lying beside him until Andrew woke, wanting to make sure he really was alright before he went to see Julian.

Andrew was relieved to find Charles still holding him when he woke. He felt safe in his arms. The voice hadn't returned, which helped settle him. He had no memory of the voice commanding his sleep, but at least his memories had returned somewhat. He didn't feel like such a stranger now. He could interact with Charles sufficiently to convince him he was fine.

"Charles? Is that you?" Andrew murmured.

"I'm still here, mate. You alright?" Charles said.

"Yeah, yeah, I think so," Andrew said.

"They didn't… hurt you badly, did they? Do you remember what they did to you?" Charles said, trying not to upset him.

"N-No, they just… They interrogated me harshly, beat me up a lot, that's all. I was too weak to cope with it. I'm sorry," Andrew said, ashamed at the memory in his head, convinced it was real.

"It's alright. I'm glad they didn't torture you or anything. You gonna be alright now?" Charles said.

"Yeah, I think so. Can… Can we get something to eat? I'm kinda hungry," Andrew said.

"Sure we can. Come on, get up then," Charles said.

Andrew got up, legs still a little shaky but mostly alright. Charles brought him into a grateful hug, kissing his forehead softly. Andrew winced in pain, even though his body wasn't sore, convincing Charles of his story. Then Charles led him out to the mess hall to eat.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew unwittingly triggers a raid on the haven that changes the course of the rebellion and forces a retreat.

Andrew ate, feeling better for not being hungry anymore. He excused himself from Charles' care, the voice urging him on. He had a secret plan, an instruction, to carry out. Charles just thought he was going to the bathroom.

Andrew made his way to Charles' little office, where he had access to most of the communications channels in and out of the warehouse. Shutting the door, the voice assisted him with setting it up so he had a secured channel that wouldn't be recorded.

"The butterfly has just hatched. You might want to come and see how pretty it is," Andrew said. It was the call sign for a raid on the warehouse that the voice had given him.

"Roger that. We're on our way," came the reply.

Andrew spent a moment resetting everything so Charles wouldn't even know he'd been in there before leaving, the voice cooing its praise in his mind, reinforcing what a good boy he'd been.

Andrew returned and smiled at him as he joined Charles in Julian's office to discuss with Adam what had happened to them. Andrew gave the performance of his life. Charles didn't suspect a thing. Julian believed every word he said. Who would suspect little tiny Andrew as being a spy? Turns out no one would.

_They will live to regret that assumption. If they live at all_, Andrew thought as he and Charles were dismissed.

* * *

Adam sat thoughtfully, considering what Charles had told them about his fears of a spy amongst them. He wasn't convinced of its veracity, but it was always a possibility. They made sure to screen everyone thoroughly before they dared let them into the rebellion. Had they let one slip through? Certainly Charles' account was troubling. There were some aspects that didn't make sense. But what else did they have to suspect there was someone spying on them?

"Look, Jules, I'd be as concerned as you are if there was any other proof of our security being breeched. As it is, all we have is Charles' story. I'm sorry, unless there's further reason to suspect someone, we can't do anything," Adam said.

"I know it's not exactly proof, and it's only his account, but what if it is true? Shouldn't we act in case it's real even if it turns out to be fake, just to be safe? Surely security is the most important thing to us," Julian said.

"I can see your point, but unless there are any other suspicions, it seems pointless. Security is as tight as we can manage. If someone's managed to infiltrate and we didn't catch them out, they're not going to give themselves up easily. I don't want to dismiss this lightly, but we've nothing but Charles' suspicions. Unless there's something else to the allegations, I'm going to have to let them slide. What else can we do?" Adam said.

"Surely it's worrying if someone has managed to get inside and we haven't noticed. If they managed to get through even with our tight security, they're serious about spying on us in the long term. They could've been here for months, years even! If we've got a leak, we need to plug it before they decide to attack us first!" Julian said.

"Maybe they didn't need to plant someone. Maybe they had the place bugged and then scarpered. We don't check for that as often as we should, you know," Chas said, waking from his nap long enough to comment on their conversation.

"Could they have done that? Is there any way someone could've snuck in and bugged the place without us knowing?" Julian said.

"Anything's possible, I suppose," Adam concedes.

"It's also possible they tracked Charles and Andrew on their way here, even though Charles swapped trucks. They're not supposed to know about this place! They're not supposed to know about anything! If they know more than they're letting on, we have a problem. This place may be compromised. If that's the case, we need to move to another secured location fast before they exploit their knowledge and destroy us before we've had a chance to attack first. This could cost us everything, Adam! Take this seriously! Do you want us to be massacred before our attack? Because if they've breeched our security and do just that, we're finished. It's all over. If they know where we are, they could come at any moment and crush us. We've survived here for so long because they don't check here. If we've given them a reason to check here, we're in trouble," Julian said.

"I know, Julian! I am taking this seriously! I just don't know what else we have to go on apart from that! Give me something here, something that's not just pure speculation!" Adam said, frustrated. He sighed. "Get Charles in here. I want to hear it straight from him. Then I'll decide."

"Alright, fine. I'll go get him," Julian said.

"Fine. Be quick about it. I've got a lot to work to do," Adam said.

Julian left in a huff, leaving Chas alone with Adam. Chas padded over to Adam, trying to relieve his stress somewhat. He sat at his feet, looking adorable as he looked up at him, nudging his hand with his nose, trying to get his affection. Adam smiled as he looked down at him, stroking his head gently.

"You mad at Jules?" Chas whined, leaning his chin on his knee.

"No, not at Jules, no. I'm just… working too hard to make sure this succeeds. Leadership has brought a shitload more work, although I'm glad we sorted out the allegiance with the Chinese at last. That takes a huge weight off me. I don't have to worry so much about where we're going to get men and weapons and cash from. They're-"

"Shh. Don't say another word. I hear something," Chas said, freezing as he listened carefully.

Adam froze as well, trying to listen for what he'd heard. All of a sudden, Chas leapt at Adam and pushed him out of the way just before a rain of bullets came crashing through the glass nearby, shattering it all over the room. Chas pinned Adam to the floor, protecting him from most of the glass. Neither moved until there was silence again.

"I think we have a spy, Adam," Chas said, licking his face affectionately.

"I think you may be right there," Adam said. "Are they gone?"

"I think so. I can't hear anything. That had better not have been a warning shot before they raid us," Chas said, getting off Adam to let him up.

Carefully making their way over to the shattered window, they peer out, trying to see if there's a massing of Army forces waiting to raid the place.

"I can't see anything," Adam whispered.

"Neither can I. They'd better not be hiding out of sight. We'd better get out of here, see if there's any danger we need to react to," Chas whispered.

"Good plan," Adam whispered.

* * *

Taking one last look, they snuck out of the room, half-comforted by the lack of bullets following them. They ran into Tim and Wil as they ran from the room.

"What the fuck was that? Are you guys alright?" Tim said, seeing the blood from the small shards of glass.

"Yeah, yeah, I think so. Um, I'm not sure what happened. One minute we're talking, the next there's bullets shooting into the room. There'd better not be a raid coming. I'm not sure we'll be able to save everything, and there's nowhere to run that's big enough to house everyone. If they're looking to raid the place, we're in serious trouble," Adam said.

"Shit. I hope you're not hurt at all," Wil said.

"Nah, nah, we're fine. Chassy got me out of the way before the bullets came. You hurt, Chassy?" Adam said, turning to Chas.

"Just a few cuts, I'll be right. Are we in any danger? Or was this some sort of fluke?" Chas said, shrugging off his injuries.

"Guys, they're coming, Dom's just got reports of a large contingent from the Army heading this way. We need to make a decision now. Stay and fight, or flee for our lives. Reports are they've got tanks and planes coming. We don't have the fire power to waste on skirmishes, or to fight down that kind of hardware. They'll destroy us before we get a chance to fight back," Julian said, running up to them.

"Shit. Are you sure they're coming to attack and not deserting the army to join us?" Wil said.

"They haven't responded to the call sign. They are not coming here in peace," Julian said.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! This is not supposed to happen! What weaponry have we got then?" Adam said, ushering them back towards the hall.

"The tanks we do have are back at another base. All we have are rocket launchers, a bunch of grenades, some land mines and bunch of machine guns and other rifles. It's not easy to steal tanks and trucks and keep them hidden," Tim said.

"Shit. Alright then. If we run, where do we run to?" Adam said.

"There's nowhere close by. We'd have to keep on running. We don't have enough vehicles to take everyone, although the latest lot of trucks we got does help somewhat. The only feasible escape route is out through the west towards the mountains. They're coming from the south east. If we head west, we might be able to lose them. It's not much, but it's all we've got right now," Julian said.

"Then that'll have to be it. Try and get as many out as possible. If we can pick off some of the drivers and steal their trucks and tanks, all the better. Right. Get everyone organised. We grab as much as we can. Nothing's left behind if at all possible. Everyone's armed to the teeth. Decide who stays behind to guard. The rest get away first. We stay behind and scavenge what we can from the fight and escape afterwards. Keep in radio contact at all times. Do not stop until you're safe, alright? Tim, you organise the escapees. Wil, you organise those staying to fight. Julian, make sure the weapons are gathered up and handed out and that the Chinese are safe. We do not want them getting hurt. It could destroy our alliance completely. Make sure Seb's shrine is moved as well. I don't want any of that being left behind. It's too important to leave behind. Right, get moving! We don't have much time!" Adam said, hoping his plan would work as he made it up.

Wil, Tim and Julian nodded their agreements and headed off to carry out their orders. Chas stayed back with Adam as they went to gather the most sensitive material together and make sure it got out safely.

* * *

The haven was a hive of chaos. The approaching army could be heard now, and everyone began to panic, trying to gather up what they could and arm themselves before they got there. Dom was giving updates on how close they were every 30 seconds or so as he ran between those escaping and those staying to fight.

Hamish and Andy were suddenly caught up in everything. Checking to see if Hamish was a halfwing seemed unimportant in light of what they now had to do. Hamish had wanted to stay and fight with Andy, but Adam refused, not out of spite, but out of a dire need to have their best fighters up front, and both agreed Hamish wasn't one of their best. Instead, Hamish was put to work helping Tim organise the escapees. With a quick parting kiss for them both, Hamish watched Adam and Andy hurry off to fight. Tim found him soon after and Hamish was spurred into action.

The ones escaping were herded into trucks with the most important documents and papers and sent off as soon as possible while the others got weapons and tried to get their defences ready for when they eventually came down on them. There was no time to waste.

With the warehouse mostly empty and half the rebels off into the mountains, those who were left got ready for the fight of their lives. Barely two minutes after the first group had left, the army was firing the first shots. There was return fire from those left behind, trying to shoot the soldiers and keep the vehicles and tanks intact so they could be salvaged for later. Adam was running between the groups of rebels, shouting orders at everyone, trying to keep the army at bay.

"Be thankful they didn't bring choppers or planes! Now stop hitting the trucks! Aim for the soldiers! One shot kills! We want those vehicles, remember?" Adam shouted as he ducked by a window just as a stray bullet came flying past. He quickly returned fire, taking out a couple of soldiers in one of the lead trucks just before it went over a landmine. It was enough of a distraction to let the rebels get some more shots in and take out some more before the army began fighting again in earnest.

"We're going to have to sacrifice some of those trucks, Adam! We need to stop some of them getting too close!" Chas yelled, having stayed behind to fight, having immense fun shooting rockets at them.

"Try not to kill them all! We need to get away too, you know! And those tanks would be valuable!" Adam shouted back.

"Alright, alright! I'll aim for the ground in front so I don't damage them!" Chas shouted.

Adam went to reply but there were a few more soldiers waiting to be taken out, which he promptly paid more attention to as he picked them off.

"Move forward! We're gaining the upper hand! There's not as many of them as we thought! Try and get close enough to claim some of the trucks! Keep forcing them back!" Adam shouted.

The rebels rallied to Adam's call, intensifying their attack as they move forward, trying to remain under cover as they try and keep the army back. The landmine defence they'd quickly laid down beforehand was coming in useful. It was acting as a barrier the soldiers were reluctant to cross. It helped them push them back and keep picking them off one by one. The tanks were underused, much to Adam's surprise. Surely you don't bring tanks to a skirmish and then not use them at all. The tanks seemed to be mostly firing into the warehouse, trying to destroy it. The rest were trying to finish off the rebels.

"Andy, get your men over to the left! Push them towards the gates!" Adam shouted just as a tank exploded, taking out several men, trucks and infrastructure.

"Fuck it, we could've used that tank!" Chas cursed, pausing to reload before firing again.

"Shut up, just keep shooting!" Adam said. "Andy, get moving!"

Andy nodded his acknowledgement and signalled to his men to get moving.

"Out of the way, guys! They've got the tanks locked on us!" Chas said, firing a rocket in front of the tanks to discourage them.

Adam and Chas and their men ran, backing away from the incoming shells. There was a loud explosion as the windows where they had been firing from collapsed and flung glass, concrete, and other shrapnel at them. They just managed to get through the large doors before the shrapnel hit. Leaning against the door, they could feel the impact as the doors shook.

"That was close. We probably shouldn't go back out there. We should find another vantage point," Chas said.

"I think that's a very good idea. Come on, this way," Adam said, indicating down the passage leading to the left.

* * *

An hour later, they had finally won, had driven off the few remaining soldiers. They'd won a handful of trucks and two tanks. It was the best they could hope for. The warehouse was half-destroyed. No doubt they would return to finish it off to make sure they got everything and everyone. Before he left, Adam set the only bomb they had to destroy the warehouse before the army could destroy it for them. He ran out from the hall towards the trucks where everyone else waiting for him.

"Everyone into the trucks! We have to get out of here now!" Adam yelled as he ran towards the closest truck, clambering in as they started up and drove away from the warehouse and off west to meet the others.

* * *

It was darkness by the time the two groups met up. The first had stopped at last in one of the abandoned towns in the hills, setting up in the biggest of the abandoned buildings that they could find. Adam and the fighters had gone as fast as they could to get away without being followed. They'd stopped once they thought they were out of range to check in and find out where the first group had gone.

Tired and hungry, the fighters finally arrived, hiding the vehicles in as many empty buildings as possible before running across to the building that had been chosen as the new base camp. The injured were ushered over to the makeshift medical area to get their wounds treated while the others joined in with the rest of the first group. Adam's first priority was making sure the Chinese delegation was safe. He found them talking quietly with Tim and Dom.

"Hey, you guys alright?" Adam said as he approached them.

"Yeah, we managed to escape unscathed. How about you?" Tim said.

"Lost a few, as I thought we might, but we managed to salvage a few tanks and trucks out of it. Fuck, that came out of nowhere. They'd better not have followed us or got trackers onto us. They were not supposed to be able to find that warehouse. How did they manage it?" Adam said, still taking in all that had happened.

"No idea. We'll have to regroup and figure that out once we're all not dying and hungry. I've sent a few scouts out to scavenge for food. We only took the non-perishable stuff, and that isn't going to keep us all fed," Tim said.

"Got a guard out to spot trouble, should it come?" Adam said.

"Yep. First thing I set up. You sure you weren't followed?" Tim said.

"We made sure to cover our tracks. I destroyed the warehouse before we left. We had to kill a couple of soldiers at one of the checkpoints. I insisted we head in the opposite direction though, just to throw them off the trail. Hopefully, we're safe for the time being," Adam said.

"Come on, I think the scouts are back. Hopefully, they've got some food for us," Tim said, hearing approaching trucks.

Adam followed Tim out to the road, seeing the trucks approaching. They'd have to be safe, or they'd not have been allowed inside the township. The two trucks pull up and the scouts get out, trucks laden with food they'd managed to steal, purchase or generally get hold of.

"Get enough for everyone?" Tim said to them.

"Think so. We did grab a lot. Here, help us bring it back inside," the closest one said, opening the back of the truck to reveal their spoils.

"Is that pizza? You seriously stole pizza?" Adam said, amazed at seeing pizza boxes amongst the hoard.

"Yeah, we raided one of the pizza shops, made them make us a shitload of pizza for us. Figured it'd be most appreciated. Some of this may need warming up. If that's possible, go for it. Otherwise it'll have to be eaten as it is," the first scout said.

"We've got a kitchen in here and miraculously, everything still works after all this time. Maybe they forgot to shut off the power and gas before the town was abandoned? Either way, I've had the boys cleaning it out so we can keep the food there. Should be right to go. Come on, bring it all in, we'll have it heated up in no time!" Tim said, ushering the scouts laden with food inside and back towards the kitchen.

* * *

In their new home, Charles was cradling Andrew in his arms again as he slept. Andrew had appeared fine, and Charles wasn't worried about him, but the raid had shaken him. They'd attacked so soon after they'd escaped. Had they tracked them? Was it connected? If it was, why bother doing anything to Andrew if there wasn't any need to?

The more Charles thought about their tactics, the less sense they made. He was still awake when dawn came, Andrew sound asleep in his arms, untroubled by nightmares.

_'Sleep, Andrew, sleep on. Conserve your strength for later when we call you,' the voice whispered to Andrew as he slept_, reinforcing his obedience.

"Yes," Andrew breathed in answer, happy his acting had been so brilliant to convince Charles he was still terrified. Step by step, the voice was putting its plan into action.

* * *

Andy went looking for Hamish as soon as he arrived back at their new home. He needed to make sure he was alright. He found him looking after patients with Sam. Andy watched him for a while, seeing how he entertained the kids and the adults injured in the battle. Andy had almost completely forgotten his own injuries. He'd been shot in the arm, but had continued to fight anyway. Adam needed him. But then there'd been no time to bind it properly before they'd had to run and Andy was left nursing a very sore and bleeding arm. Still, he had gone to find Hamish first, because if he knew that Hamish was alive, he could relax and get his arm treated.

"Hey, dickbrain. I see you managed to survive," Andy said as he approached him.

Hamish looked up and smiled. "Yeah, I made it. I see you did too. You alright?"

"Yeah, arm needs mending though. Fucking cunts shot me, didn't they?" Andy said.

"Hey, watch your language. There are kids around," Hamish said. "Go see Sam. She'll take a look at it. I'll give you a hug later when you're not bleeding."

"Thanks, mate. We'll catch up later," Andy said. He gave Hamish a nod before going to get his wound treated.

* * *

Adam had no time to go find Hamish immediately. He was caught up with organising everyone, seeing to everyone's injuries and then Julian and Wil insisted on a briefing to ascertain what they would do now. Finally, when all that was done, Adam had also taken ten minutes out to eat, he went to find Hamish at last.

Hamish was still in the medical ward, tending to the injured. Hamish looked up and smiled as he saw Adam standing there smiling at him. He looked bloodied and tired, but he seemed to be in one piece. Hamish couldn't help himself. He got up and ran to him, flinging himself into Adam's waiting arms.

"Oh, Adam, thank fuck you're alright," Hamish said, clinging onto him.

"Yeah, it'll take more than that to kill me," Adam said with a smile.

"Hey, don't jinx it. I don't actually ever want you dying on me, you here?" Hamish said, pouting at him.

"You'll just have to live with it. I will die before you. There's no escaping that," Adam said.

"Oi, don't you get depressing on me now. Be happy for once, will you?" Hamish said, licking his cheek.

Adam growled and scooped Hamish up in his arms, carrying him away from the medical ward. Hamish yelped and fought and laughed, pretending to struggle.

"So, have we got a room yet? Or do we need to go find somewhere secretive so I can molest you in private?" Adam said.

"Oh, we do have a room, but I like the secretive place idea. Come on, I saw a lovely little nook around the back that I think leads to some sort of basement," Hamish said, pointing where he wanted to go.

"Lead the way, my love," Adam said.

* * *

The basement they found was musty, but relatively clean. There was a pool table in the middle of the room in surprisingly good nick, and several other chairs, small tables, a bar fridge and other assorted pieces of furniture that hadn't been looted.

"I wonder why this stuff is still here. Surely someone would've looted it all by now. You could use a lot of this stuff for firewood, or even to sell for money. Why leave this? It's as if it's been preserved like this," Adam said.

"Well, I'd look into it, but frankly I'd rather fuck you instead," Hamish said.

"Oh yeah? Shall we abuse that poor pool table then?" Adam said, wrapping his arms around Hamish's waist as he held him close.

"Well, there's nowhere else to fuck here is the-oh, fuck. Look over in that corner. There's a door there. A hidden one. I wonder where that goes?" Hamish said, breaking away from Adam to see what it was.

It was barely visible, hiding in the wall as if it were just another wood panel on the wall. Hamish pulled out a small knife he'd been using to cut bandages and tried to pry the door open.

"Be careful. We don't know what's out here," Adam said.

"Do you think it even opens like this? Or is it one of those ones you trigger or push in a certain way?" Hamish said, standing back to look at it again.

"Try that button on the floor. See if that works," Adam said.

"What button? I don't see any buttons," Hamish said, looking at the floor.

"Here, this button," Adam said, shifting Hamish out of the way so he could step on the button.

To their amazement, the door hissed and opened, revealing another room beyond the basement. It looked like some sort of office, as if someone was trying to hide the work they were doing out here.

"Should we go in?" Hamish said.

"Well, why not? We might find things we can use in there," Adam said.

They stepped inside the short hallway that led to the office. It was like walking into another time. The office was old and musty, and looked like it belonged in the fifties. Everything was pristine. There was hardly any dust anywhere though, as if someone had been maintaining it all this time. Adam walked towards the desk and looked at the papers lying there.

"These are official Army documents detailing..." Adam paused as he picked one up to read it. "Detailing supply lines and secret codes for the war. War? What war? That's dated... 1953. Wait. There was no war then, was there? Why are they at war then? Who are they at war with? What's going on here?"

"I think you'll find you've broken into my study, mutant. Get out before I kill you," came a voice from behind them.

Adam and Hamish turned to find a ghostly figure of some sort of Army officer before them, all donned up in his regalia as he watched them with harsh eyes.

"Okay, now should we be afraid of a ghost or not?" Hamish murmured to Adam.

"Let's go before we find out either way, shall we?" Adam murmured back.

The ghost watched them as they backed off and left the room. They found themselves in the basement again and watched the door seal itself shut again. There was no indication there was anything under there apart from a flash of light that came from the floor and some sort of engine noise.

"Do we dare go back in there again?" Hamish said.

Adam stepped on the button again and indeed, the door opened again, but what they saw was nothing more than a hidden storage cupboard. Adam was confused. There was nothing in that cupboard that he could see led into any sort of office. Adam stepped back.

"Okay, someone's fucking with us," Adam concluded.

"Ah, Adam, behind you," Hamish said, turning to face the basement.

Adam turned. The basement had suddenly filled with ghosts, playing pool, drinking, dancing and chatting. There was even soft music playing. None of the ghosts seemed to notice them this time.

"Oh, wait. I think I know what this is. It must be some form of projection room. I think we're in some sort of museum," Hamish said.

"Oh, right. And why do you suspect that?" Adam said.

"Because we went to them in school. Tonnes of them. All telling us the same story about our history. I remember rooms like this. This is how they'd do exhibits back then. They'd have these projections like this so you could see how the people behaved. I think they stopped them after someone hacked them and made the ghosts do naughty things instead of what they were supposed to be doing. I didn't think these rooms still existed anywhere. I never saw a fifties one though," Hamish said.

"So these are just projections?" Adam said.

"Yeah, go on. Wave your hand through them. See? Harmless," Hamish said, waving his arm through a woman who was standing and chatting to her friend.

Adam did the same with one of the pool players. They were indeed just projections. "Let's go back to our room. This place is creepy."

"Yeah, good idea. They should shut down when we leave the room. They're usually powered by motion sensors," Hamish said.

With one last look at the ghosts, Adam and Hamish turned and left the basement. The ghosts vanished into thin air, and nothing seemed amiss anymore.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having moved their base, the rebels have to rethink their plan of attack. Andrew steps up to help and continues fighting the voice in his head. Seb makes his first appearance at their new hideout and the news isn't good.

Adam had gathered Tim, Wil, Hamish, Andy, Charles, Andrew, Julian, Craig, and the Chinese delegation together the next morning. He wanted to discuss their next move. Clearly, the planned rebellion would have to be changed to reflect their new location. There were Army bases out here they hadn't bothered to take into account in their original plans as they didn't think they'd be directly facing them. Now they would have to plan for that, and there were more out here than in the city.

They were all standing around the basement pool table, amused by the ghosts walking around them. It had become the unofficial war room, where Adam could plan everything they needed, and there was plenty of room for them all to fit. Adam had made sure there were no bugs anywhere in the room, since it had been an official Government building in the past. Finding nothing, he was satisfied that they were safe for now. Charles handed out drinks to everyone before finding a spot in between Craig and Chas.

"We need to reallocate our forces. We've got seven bases out here we'll need to take out before we can reach the city. We should also be aware of our position up here. We've got a much better vantage point now than we used to have. We can ambush much better now, because we have the mountains on our side. We can see when they're coming far sooner than we could at the warehouse. So instead of three main battle groups, I think we should have a mix of battalions and guerrilla groups. If we can draw the army bases out and pick them off, we could take their bases for our own use and monitor their movements from there while the rebellion is under way. It would give us an advantage to get hold of a secured base and more weapons. Does anyone have a problem with that?" Adam said, using the pool balls as props as he arranged them on the table.

"I think we'd be stretching our resources even further. Do we want a speedy rebellion or not? I thought we didn't want to give them a chance to regroup? Guerrilla war against the bases will take too long. We need to storm in there and take them by force. It's the only way we can proceed fast," Wil said.

"We don't even know the make up of those bases. You know the Army likes to mix them around to confuse us. We need more intel about those bases before we can plan any attack on them," Tim said.

"What's the most direct route from here into the city anyway?" Adam said.

Hamish fished out the maps and lay them down in front of everyone. "We're here, right? So the most direct route is to follow that main road east until you hit the city. But there are three bases along that road as it stands, and another four close by. The longer route is less guarded, but has more difficult terrain. I wouldn't suggest we use it as a main route. We could send some guerrilla fighters down that way though. See, it doubles back that way. You could hit two of the bases and not be seen down there. Could we use that as a distraction while we force the main contingent through on the main road?" Hamish said.

"Hmm, it's possible. I think we need to get some scouts out there to see what the land's actually like. We need to know if we can actually get vehicles down there or not. Wil, want to organise that? Get some of our best fullwings and go stealth. Don't engage in battle. This is purely recon. Bring back as much information as you can, and try and observe how many troops you think are in each of these bases. We need to know that in order to work out how large a force to send, should we go with that option. Any other ideas?" Adam said.

"Frankly, I think you should avoid that pass completely. Look, there's another road going south that leads around that way. There's only one base out there. We could take that easily and recruit the troops there and kill any detractors before moving on. I'd rather not antagonise seven bases first up. One won't be missed. Seven will be. We don't want them catching wind of what we're doing until it's too late to stop us," Craig said, pointing out another route on the map.

"We'll scout that too then. I'll arrange three groups of five and we'll head off as soon as we're done here," Wil said.

"Go armed as well in case you're spotted and have to fight. I'd rather you didn't though. I don't want them catching onto our new location too quickly, if at all. Just go and watch and be invisible," Adam said.

"Will do. I'll go get them organised now. You can fill me in when I get back," Wil said.

"Okay. Good luck," Adam said.

Wil patted Adam's shoulder as he left, grinning back at him. Adam turned back to the map. He placed different pool balls where the bases were, and where they were, trying to work out the best way to attack.

"How much of an air force do we have anyway? I was under the impression we were purely a land force, apart from the fullwings," Charles said.

"We've got a few planes, but they're not here, they're at another safe haven. They're too far away to use here. All we have are tanks, trucks and a couple of armoured vehicles," Adam said.

"So what kind of force have we got here anyway?" Charles said.

"I'd say we were about 1000 strong. We're lucky we found this town. It's big enough to house everyone. I'd say our numbers are about 60% fullwings, 25% halfwings and 15% humans," Adam said.

"I was thinking. Since we nicked so much stuff from the Army, how easy would it be to pretend we're just another patrol and pass through that way? That's how we've been getting through checkpoints. We could load up the tanks and trucks with the fullwings, and have halfwing and human drivers to avoid suspicion. If we were lucky, I reckon we could pass through those bases with no trouble at all," Charles said.

"That's a very dangerous suggestion. Do you reckon we could do it, Andy?" Adam said.

"Anything's possible. Though it would be reliant on correct uniform, correct convoy order, and enough experience to bribe our way through. Actually. I just had an idea. How about we send a small group through, pretending to be official army, with directions to gather them all up from the various bases because there's trouble in the city? While the bases are empty, the rest sneak down and take them and raid what we can from them before turning on them. If they're out there and just have their guns, they'll be defenceless. We could crush or convert enough to double our force for our assault on the city. It's totally risky, but it might work. We'd need to get a feel for how many are in each and their allegiances first though so we know which buttons to press," Andy said.

"And you're forgetting that two of those are Air Force bases. This one here, and this one over here. Planes. I strongly suggest targeting those first and working on the rest later. Once we have planes, we'll be more powerful," Chas said.

"That's just so you can fly again, Chassy," Julian said.

"Damn straight I wanna fly again. If we have those planes, we can make the other bases surrender faster as we drop bombs on them," Chas said.

"Adam, I strongly suggest that plan of attack. Air Force bases are not manned by Army soldiers. They're manned by Air Force pilots. They're not soldiers. They'll be easier to take because they're not as strongly armed. They can still fight, mind, but they won't be as experienced at infantry combat," Andy said.

"Let's wait until we get more intel about the bases first before we decide on a strategy. In the meantime, let's concentrate on sourcing weapons and stockpiling as much as possible. I don't want us caught unaware by another raid. Now, I've got some grenades that need picking up in town. Anyone want to volunteer?" Adam said.

"I'll go, if you like," Andrew piped up.

"You sure? I wouldn't want to push you or anything," Adam said.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I'm sick of sitting around on my own. Let me get out there and help. At least then I'll feel useful," Andrew said.

"Alright then. But take someone with you, just in case," Adam said.

"I can do it alone. I'm not a baby," Andrew said.

"Okay then. Do it alone. But don't be too long, and don't get caught," Adam said.

"Don't worry, after what I went through last time, that's not going to happen," Andrew said.

Andrew didn't notice the concerned look Charles had as he glanced at him. Clearly, he wasn't sure Andrew should be working so soon either, but Andrew wouldn't be dissuaded, and he did have a point. Adam needed everyone on hand, and that meant Andrew too.

The meeting wrapped up soon after and Andrew headed out to pick up the grenades after gathering the information he needed from Adam.

* * *

Andrew scuffed his shoe against the curb, staring at the bitumen. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, trying to stave off the cold. What was he doing waiting here at this hour? Oh, that's right. He was picking up stuff for Adam. A box or two of grenades from an ex-Army man, who'd smuggled them out and wanted in on the rebellion.

Andrew was glad that he was on his own. It meant he had time to do some recon of his own. Though he was tired. Was he rushing into this too soon? Adam and Julian had wanted him to rest a bit longer, but Andrew had insisted he was fine and wanted to get back to work, so they had reluctantly agreed. Andrew wanted to feel like he was doing something instead of sitting around doing nothing. Besides, sitting alone meant he was often left with his own thoughts, and at times, that scared him shitless. No, the better he was out doing something to distract from his troubled dreams.

"Stupid Adam and his stupid meetings and damn him for sending me out here in the cold to do his errands for him," Andrew muttered.

"Are you the guy Adam sent me to meet?" a voice said from behind.

"I might be. Who are you again?" Andrew said, turning to face the man.

"William. I got the grenades Adam wanted. Let me say just how difficult they were to track down. He can thank his lucky stars I was able to get a mate to get them off or he'd have been out of luck. These things are harder to get hold of than hen's teeth," the man said.

"Right. So what am I taking back to His Majesty?" Andrew said, unable to stop the sarcasm in his voice.

"A coupla crates of these babies. You got a truck round here somewhere we can load 'em into?" William said.

"Yeah, back alleyway. Out of sight. This way," Andrew said.

He led William round the back alleyway where the first box of explosives was delivered. Andrew was thankful he didn't have to carry them. They looked heavy, and Andrew hated doing manual labour. Once the first box was in place, Andrew followed him to retrieve the second box.

As Andrew was leaving the alleyway, he got his shoe caught in the grate on the edge of the street and fell forwards. He came crashing down to the ground, leaving his shoe stuck in the bars. His head hit the pavement hard, and there were the quickest flashes of a cave and Craig invading his mind. If he hadn't noticed them, he may not have given them much attention. He wondered where the cave was and why it was important. He couldn't remember if there was even a cave anyone in the rebellion used. Dismissing the visions as a symptom of crashing his head against asphalt, he paid more attention to his sore body. There was an audible groan of pain as Andrew attempted to get to his feet, thoroughly annoyed at now being injured. He'd have to yell at Julian when he got back.

"You alright mate?" William said, coming over to help him up.

"Fantastic. Never been better," Andrew said as he wiped the blood from his nose.

He went over to retrieve his shoe from the grate only to find his sock had been ripped as the shoe had been caught in the gutter. And it was his favourite pair too. And no, it didn't count that they were one of many identical pairs of white tennis socks. They were still his favourite pair.

He returned to the safe haven with the things Adam wanted, thoroughly angry, aching and minus his favourite pair of socks. Adam was going to become acutely aware of just how angry Andrew was after completing his little errand. Even if Andrew had insisted on taking the errand in the first place.

But first, a slight detour. The voice had other things it needed Andrew to do before it let him go back to the safe haven since Andrew was out here all on his own and unsupervised. Andrew headed south, away from where he was supposed to be going, needing to visit someone first.

* * *

Some hours later, Andrew drove the truck back to the new safe haven, making sure he wasn't seen entering the abandoned township. There was an alley at the back of the warehouse where they had stored the weapons they had left that hadn't been used during the surprise attack. Chas and Chris were there to meet him, ready to store the grenades safely in the warehouse. Andrew parked the truck and got out to unlock the doors.

"You took your time. Did you get 'em? He didn't bash you for them, did he?" Chas said, noticing the bruises and the bloodied nose.

"Uh, no, that was me catching my foot in a grate and falling over. I wrecked my favourite pair of socks," Andrew said angrily, pushing the key into the lock to open the back doors to the truck.

"Oh, man, wait til Julian sees that. If anyone was going to hurt themselves on an errand simply by tripping over, it'd be you, Andrew," Chas said, trying to hide his laughing.

"It's not funny, you know," Andrew said, pushing the doors open and grabbing a box of the grenades. "There's one more box. Will one of you two grab it?"

Chris obliged, and Chas was left with the task of opening doors for them. Chas led them down into a dark basement storage area underneath the warehouse. Sure, it was a dangerous place to store weapons, but it meant only arriving at the warehouse and transporting them inside. Julian was working on a munitions dump for the more explosive things in their arsenal, but until that was ready, under the warehouse would have to do. It's not easy to build something and remain undetected, so work progressed very slowly.

"Put them up here with the other grenades. How many do you reckons' in a box, anyway?" Chas said, coming to a stop at some half-empty shelves.

"Looks around 50 but you'd have to count them to be sure," Andrew said.

"Better I do that so you don't go blowing yourself up, hey?" Chas said, again trying not to laugh.

"Shut it, or I'll rip your gills out," Andrew said.

"You'll rip my gills out? I don't have any gills, unless you're planning to go back in time and attack me as a foetus," Chas said.

"Just -- shut up, Chas. I'm not in the mood for your jokes," Andrew said, sliding the box of grenades onto the shelf. He turned and stormed out of the basement, not bothering to wait for Chris.

"He's a touchy little shit when he's injured, isn't he?" Chris noted, stifling a laugh.

"I heard that!" Andrew yelled back.

Chris and Chas couldn't help themselves laughing at that as they made their way out of the basement and back towards the main hall.

* * *

Andrew headed straight for the medical people to get his head fixed. He sat there grumpily as they dealt with him. He was not in a good mood. His head ached, sending sharp pain into his skull. He took the painkillers they offered him, dry swallowing them, before heading off to scold Adam for sending him out on his own.

He stopped halfway down the corridor towards Adam's room, hand pinned to his temple as the stabbing pain increased. He screwed his face up, trying to make it go away.

_'Forget, dear Andrew, forget. It is not yet time,'_ the voice cooed.

"Who are you? What? Why are you talking to me?" Andrew said into the air, confused and scared by the voice he could hear in his head, clear as day.

_'Hush! HUSH! He approaches! Silent now! Forever hidden!'_ the voice hissed at him.

The pain quickly diminished and Andrew looked up to find Julian approaching him instead of Adam. He sped up as he saw Andrew leaning against the wall, seemingly in pain.

"Hey, Andrew, you alright, mate? What happened to you?" Julian said as he came up to him, standing in front of him.

"Just - tripped over, that's all. Nothing to worry about," Andrew said, fending him off.

"Shit, you don't look so good. Come on, back here. Let's get you sorted out," Julian said, taking him by the arm, determined to take care of him.

Andrew tried to refuse, but his head was dizzy and he did appreciate the attention. He let himself be led away to Julian's room where Wil was waiting. They'd been going over the intel they'd managed to retrieve about the military bases below them. Julian sat Andrew down on a chair and got him some water. Andrew felt surrounded as Julian and Wil hedged him in on both sides. Andrew curled back into the chair, feeling a tad claustrophobic. He wasn't sure he wanted them so close to him.

"You alright, Andrew? You've been a tad jumpy since the attack," Julian said, resting a hand on his thigh, concern washing over his face.

"I-I'm fine, really. It just - you know, it came out of nowhere and all," Andrew said. _'Bullshit. You knew it was coming. Hell, you gave the order,'_ the voice goaded. Andrew whimpered, pressing a hand against his forehead as if he was in pain again.

"Andrew? Do I need to force you to get help? If you're not well, tell me now, or I'll make you get help. I can't have you like this. I need you. Just talk to me, please. I don't like seeing you like this," Julian said.

Andrew tried to resist, but Julian's concerned look was what broke him. "Voice - in my head. Tells me things. Please make it stop. It hurts me," he whimpered, clutching his head. The façade was too hard to keep going anymore. The false memories weren't as strong as they once were, and niggling doubts had become more serious. Clearly, whatever it was in his head was lying to him and manipulating him. He'd have to tell Julian about it. He'd know how to fix it.

"A voice? How long has this been going on? What does it say to you?" Julian said, unsettled at this development.

"Since… since they took me. It talks to me, tells me it'll look after me, tells me to forget things. Made me order the raid, gather intelligence, spy against you. I… I don't like it. It scares me," Andrew said quietly.

_'Too close! Too close! They mustn't know! Hush now, child! Be silent!'_ the voice said, scared of being discovered.

Andrew brought his knees up to his chest, curling into himself tightly, sobbing quietly. The voice was scaring him. He wanted it to go away, but he didn't think he was strong enough to fight it.

Julian grabbed Andrew and pulled him into his arms, wanting him to fight it, whatever it was that was in his head. "Come on, Andrew, you can fight it. Tell it to go away. It doesn't own you. You'll be alright," he said.

_'Do as he says! We will fade away, but not for good! We will call you when we need you!'_ the voice commanded.

"I'm going mad, I swear I'm going mad. This is not happening to me. Take me to Charles. I only want Charles! Please, don't leave me alone with Chris. Craig-Craig, he-"

"Shh, it'll be alright. We'll take you to Charles, alright? Come on," Julian said soothingly, trying to calm his anxiety.

Andrew settled once he heard Julian agreeing to his wishes. Charles would make everything better. Of course he would. He could only trust Charles. Charles would make it all better.

* * *

Andrew let them pull him to his feet and lead him off to Charles. Andrew ran into Charles' arms as soon as they arrived, desperate for his company.

"What's up with him?" Charles asked, holding him close as Andrew curled up into his embrace.

"Said he has a voice in his head that tells him things. He wanted to be brought to you. Look after him, will you?" Julian said, not sure he should reveal what his intentions were.

"What, you can't look after him?" Charles said.

"He wanted you. He calmed down when I agreed to take him to you. I don't know what else to tell you," Julian said.

"Okay then. I'll see what I can do. Catch you later," Charles said as he watched Julian and Wil leave.

* * *

"Okay, now I'm convinced they brainwashed him. That voice in his head made him do things against us. We can't blame him for that. Part of him is still fighting it though, much to my amazement. He wouldn't have told us about the voice if he wasn't fighting it still. We need to know if we can still save him, or if he'll still be triggered into carrying out whatever it is he's been programmed to do," Julian said, leading Wil back towards the offices.

"Seb?" Wil said, guessing Julian's destination.

"Yeah. If he doesn't know, no one will," Julian said.

They came to the shrine door and entered quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone. Seb hadn't appeared since they'd moved, but he had talked with Adam, so they knew he was still around. Even if he could still talk to them, it was better than nothing. They knelt before the shrine and lit some incense for him, setting it in the bowls of sand in front of the shrine. Neither considered it religious to keep a shrine set up here and talk to Seb as if he was a God. It was like they were talking to an old friend more than anything.

"You cannot save him. He will be triggered. But he will not die, or harm anyone. His spirit will prevent some of the more terrible aspects of his programming from eventuating. Be thankful that is all that will happen," Seb said to them before they could even ask him anything.

"He's a resilient little shit, isn't he, in spite of looking so fucking fragile," Wil said.

"At least we know he's not going to get himself killed," Julian said.

"I would not be so frank with you normally. I do not take it upon myself to warn you of what is to come. I am no oracle, or master of Fate. But it is pertinent to warn you that you may never be able to heal him completely. There are some things that just cannot be undone, and this is not something I have any power to prevent. Human minds are too fragile and the forces at play here are unknown to me. Do not make him fight. It will only get him killed. Take care of my Andrew. He will need all your support and compassion. It is none of his doing," Seb said gently.

"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Julian said.

"No. Nothing else will help. Go, prepare for battle. You will need to be ready. War may come sooner than we anticipate," Seb said.

Julian and Wil murmured their thanks and left the shrine room in peace, heading off to find Adam and Tim and discuss their final battle plans.

* * *

Andrew curled into Charles' warm embrace, feeling safe again. The voice had subsided somewhat, as had the pain in his head. He wanted to sleep. He clung to Charles as if to stop him leaving. Charles held him tightly, trying to comfort him. All he could think about was what Julian had said to him about Andrew.

"You got a voice in your head, mate? Why does that make me very worried about what they did to you?" Charles murmured.

Andrew was too sleepy to hear him properly. The voice was back, whispering soothing words to him, overriding Charles' voice, caressing his mind and making it obedient.

_'Hush, hush, my child, do not speak of us to anyone. We must remain secret, hidden, until the time is right. That was bad, speaking out like that. We do not speak about these things. Keep silent, remember our mission. We will call you when we need you. Until then, forget and pretend nothing's wrong,'_ the voice said.

_Forget? Why must I-_

_'Hush! Hush, child. Forget. You should not worry your precious head with such things. Keep silent, do not mention us. We will call you when we need you,'_ the voice said.

_F-forget… for…_

Andrew succumbed to the voice and drifted into a deep sleep, allowing the voice more time to rewire his brain the way it wanted to without resistance. It had to reinforce the memories Andrew had fought against.

Charles sensed him falling asleep and lay him down, lying beside him to hold him and make sure he knew he was safe. Arms around his slender body, Charles rested with him, concerned at what was going on in his head that had Julian and Wil as troubled as he was.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pretty ones finally trigger Andrew and his programming begins. Charles and Caleb are charged with a rescue.

When Andrew saw them together, something awoke inside him. There they were, Chris and Craig, snuggled into each other as if they were lovers. Andrew didn't like it. It made him angry. Chris was supposed to love him, not Craig! Andrew stormed over to them, pulling them apart. The ill-logic of his thinking processes remained unquestioned and as far as he was aware, he was merely acting on impulse, driven by the voice in his head that made him to do what it wanted him to do.

"What are you doing? Why are you with him, that traitor? I thought you loved me, Chris!" Andrew was torn between hysteria and anger, unsure how to deal with this.

_'Take them, dear child! It is time! It is time! Take them and be rewarded!'_ the voice said, whispering its encouragement.

"Andrew, please, it's nothing like that, you know that. I love you! I always have! Will you calm down? You're scaring me," Chris said as Andrew pulled their faces together.

"Shut up. You're coming with me. Both of you. This ends now, alright?" Andrew growled, grabbing Craig's collar so he had hold of them both. He looked between them, angry eyes scaring them into compliance.

Chris and Craig didn't have a chance to answer before they were dragged out of the building and over to a truck waiting by one of the houses. He threw them in the back, making sure to secure their wrists and gag them before cuffing them to the truck to prevent their escape. Andrew flung himself into the driver's seat and revved the engine, tearing off into the bush and away from the safe haven into the night.

Chris and Craig sat in the back of the truck, unable to move or escape or talk to each other, terrified of what fate might befall them once Andrew was done with them. He hadn't given them the impression this was going to be a happy little joyride into the bush. His eyes had shown an inner madness they weren't sure was of his own making. They weren't sure they wanted to cross it and get him any angrier than he already appeared to be.

Craig noted the boxes of supplies filling the back of the truck with him. He didn't want to think that this had all been premeditated. Andrew wasn't crazy. He wouldn't hurt them. He'd better not hurt them. He could see what looked like guns in one crate whose lid had come off slightly, although it was hard to see in the dim light.

Then he remembered what Andrew had told him earlier. Andrew knows how to torture. Andrew knows how to leave no marks. Andrew knows how to kill. Suddenly, their predicament seemed even more precarious. Maybe Andrew had been right. Maybe he is dangerous after all. I have to tell Chris. He needs to know what Andrew's capable of. Craig looked at Chris, scared out of his mind.

* * *

Charles had noticed first. He'd woken to find Andrew not in his arms like he was before. Not sure where he'd gone to, he got up to look for him. The building was mostly quiet, being night time. Most people were asleep. Charles happened to walk past Craig's room and noticed his bed was empty. Caleb was nowhere in sight, and Chris, who had taken to bunking with them too was also missing.

"This isn't unusual. They might just be elsewhere. Don't panic yet, Charles," he muttered to himself as he opened the door slightly to get a better look inside. Finding the room empty, he went to check Chris' room in case they were in there.

He bumped into Julian and Caleb before he got to Chris' room. Julian looked worried, as did Caleb.

"Where's Andrew? Have you seen Chris and Craig anywhere?" Julian said.

"Andrew appears to have gone, and there's no one in Craig's room. You don't think he could have-"

"Mate, anything's possible. None of them are scheduled on patrols tonight so they should be here. If he's been triggered-"

"I know, I know! Shit. We need to search the place, see if we can find them. Go ask the patrols if they've seen any trucks leaving the township recently. I'll go check the place for Chris and Craig," Charles said.

"Last I saw Chris and Craig, they were headed to the showers, but no one saw them arrive. I don't know where they got to," Caleb said.

"Alright, alright. Meet back in 15 minutes or so. We don't want them getting too much of a head start if they have gone," Julian said.

"Yeah, true. I hope they're just hanging around somewhere and Andrew hasn't nicked off with them," Charles said before running past Julian to go search the building.

* * *

Julian and Charles met back at the main building empty handed. Caleb soon joined them, getting more worried about his absent boyfriend.

"Truck seen heading east about half an hour ago. Seemed in a hurry. Couldn't see who was driving. I take it you didn't find them?" Julian said.

"No trace of them. No one's seen or heard from them. Fuck, Andrew, you dickhead," Charles said.

"We need to get after them, stop them before Andrew does something stupid. You want to get a patrol organised?" Julian said.

"No way. I'm going alone. It'll be less threatening if only I go than if we go tearing around together in a large group. Besides, he trusts me. I'll have the best chance of bringing them all back alive," Charles insisted.

"I'm going with you. Craig will need me," Caleb said, grabbing Charles' arm to stop him going.

"One person is undetectable. Two will bring trouble. Stay here, Caleb," Charles said.

"No. I'm going with you. If Andrew's taken them, and remember that Craig was once tortured, Craig's going to need me when we find them again. I'm not letting you leave with out me," Caleb said.

"Caleb has a point, Charles. He might be useful," Julian said.

Charles hesitated, but eventually agreed. "Alright. You can come. But let me handle Andrew, alright?"

"He's all yours. Just leave Craig to me," Caleb said.

"I don't care who deals with who. Just bring them all back unharmed. And stay in contact. Let me know how things are going," Julian said.

"Will do. I'll call in every hour if I can," Charles said.

With his permission granted, Charles and Caleb ran off to grab a few essentials like food, clothes and weapons before jumping into a truck of their own and tearing off into the night in search of Andrew.

* * *

Andrew drove into the night, not sure where he was going. He was on autopilot. The voice was guiding him, telling him where he had to go. He didn't stop, not until he reached the caves. They were hidden away, secluded, not easy to find. Parking the truck by the entrance of the cave, Andrew got out and separated Chris and Craig from the truck. He pulled them out and into the cave, dragging them along behind him forcefully as the voice told him where to go.

Andrew shut them into the small cage in the room and left them there to go and fish the supplies out of the back of the truck. The voice had told him exactly what to bring, weapons and food and such things, and he'd dutifully packed them into the back of the truck, readying it for when he was called.

Andrew carried all the crates into the cave, storing them where the voice told him to store them. The last boxes were to be placed in the dungeon, one of the torture chambers specifically made for this purpose. The crates of weapons were carefully and tenderly laid out on the bench, ready to be used.

The voice was finally satisfied once everything was packed away and set up properly. Andrew hid the truck away to avoid being detected. At last, Andrew was allowed a meal and a rest, the voice soothing and comforting him congratulating him on how well he'd performed his mission so far.

_'You are a good child, a wonderful child, so obedient. You are allowed your first reward. Take the unwinged one, take him and make love to him. He will not remember it, we will make him forget, but you deserve your pleasure for what you have done so far. Go, take him, he is yours to play with forever,'_ the voice cooed.

Andrew woke from his light sleep, a surge of desire coursing through his body. "Chris," he murmured.

* * *

Andrew got up and walked back towards the cavern where Chris and Craig were being kept. Craig remained asleep as Andrew pulled Chris out and dragged him back to his bed, seating him down on the edge of the bed as he took his hands in his. Andrew looked up at him and carefully removed the gag. Chris didn't speak, even though he wanted to.

"Shh, this is the only moment we have together. Don't ruin it with petty small-talk. I want you, I love you, I'll explain later my reasons for doing this," Andrew said, pressing a finger against his lips as he spoke.

Chris swallowed, but complied, not wanting to get him angry. Andrew sensed his permission and leaned in close to him, hesitating a moment before kissing him gently, caressing his lips with his own, grabbing his head as he delved in deeper, tasting his lover like before, enjoying every sensation.

Chris whimpered as he gave in to Andrew's hands slowly peeling their clothes off. Andrew paused to untie Chris' hands, certain he wouldn't try and escape now. Free to touch him now, Chris began to enjoy himself as Andrew's bare skin brushed against his own, caressing his compliance as he worked him, making him do what he wanted.

Chris was pressed into the bed face down as Andrew pushed inside, moving slowly, gently, not wanting to rush. Chris couldn't remember ever being fucked like this before. Andrew fucked him until he had had his pleasure, finally letting himself come, jerking inside Chris hard. Chris whimpered, Andrew's lithe touch bringing him over the edge as well as he lingered inside Chris, loving the feeling of his tight arse around his cock.

"I love you, beautiful," Andrew whispered.

"I love you too, Andrew," Chris whispered back.

"Don't hate me for this. I'm not in control. The pretty ones have final say. I'm sorry," Andrew said, hands caressing Chris' warm body, reluctant to shut him back in his cage.

"What are you talking about?" Chris said.

"Shh, not supposed to tell. Our little secret," Andrew said.

"You said you'd explain-"

"Quiet now. One last fuck before I send you back to your canary," Andrew said, already hard again and looking for another orgasm to round off his evening.

Chris could do nothing but agree, falling for him again as he began moving, slowly thrusting in and out of him, filling his body with pleasure. Chris groaned, hating himself for giving into him. Andrew was pressing all the right buttons, knew exactly how to make Chris beg and cry for more, made him so totally horny that by the time he'd come again, he'd forgotten why he was even here.

* * *

Once Andrew had had his fill, Chris was ordered to dress. Andrew bound him up again and after making him drink some water with a substance in it that would make him forget the night's events, Andrew gagged him and took him back to the cage. He shoved him inside with Craig and left them there.

He returned to his room and curled up on his bed, hugging the blankets close around him, cherishing the faint smell of Chris left on them as he drifted off to sleep.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I really am. Please forgive me," Andrew whispered.

* * *

Back in their tiny cage, Craig had managed to remove his gag enough to speak. He needed to warn Chris about Andrew. Chris curled up against one wall of the cage, looking anxious and distressed.

"Chris. Lean against me. I might be able to get my wings around us as a blanket," Craig whispered.

Chris looked at him and shifted as best he could in the confined space. Soon, he was leaning against Craig's chest, Craig's wings half-curled around them both, staving off some of the cool air. Craig had managed to push Chris' gag down around his neck, leaving them free to whisper.

"Chris, Andrew told me not to tell anyone this, but given the situation, I think I need to break that promise. Just don't tell him I told you this, alright?" Craig whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Chris whispered back.

"Do you know Andrew's military record?"

"Andrew? In the military? You're joking, right?"

"He was an MP Interrogator for three years. Served 6 months in New Zealand."

"He was in New Zealand? I didn't know the MPs were sent there."

"No, you're not getting what I'm trying to say. Andrew knows how to torture. It's what he learnt as an interrogator, and apparently, he was bloody good at it too. Do you see why I'm scared right now?"

Chris turned to look at Craig. He let the words sink in. "Jesus."

"He knows how to torture without leaving marks. He knows how to kill. He nearly lost control in New Zealand. That's why he left. I've been tortured once before. I'm not sure I could survive it again, not at his hands."

"We need to get the fuck out of here."

"We can't. We're trapped. And we can't just leave Andrew here. He might hurt himself."

"He might hurt us. He probably will. Why should we save him?"

"Because he's Andrew, you dickbrain! He loves you. He fucking loves you. Don't you think for a minute of abandoning him. I won't let you. We just need to get out of here alive."

"Easier said than done, seeing as though we're tied up and trapped in a cage."

"Yeah, well, at least we're alive." Craig sighed and leant his head back against the bars. "Christ, this is a fucking mess. What if he does snap and he hurts us? What then?"

"He hurts us. We don't exactly have any power here."

"Do you think we can reason with him? I mean, it is still Andrew we're talking about."

"I don't know. I really don't know."

Chris shifted and curled up against Craig, still trying to digest what he'd just learnt, that the man he loved was a torturer. Craig wrapped his wings around them and tried to keep them both warm.

"You're shivering, Craig. Are you alright?" Chris lifted his head to look at him.

"I-I don't want him to hurt me. I feel like I've been arrested again. The soldiers are going to come and torture me, but it won't be them, it'll be Andrew, and his eyes will be filled with loving madness and he'll be the one who kills me."

"He won't do that. He can't. He'll come to his senses and let us go."

"The pain was maddening. I told them anything they wanted to hear. Whatever I said, they still hurt me. They still raped me. They still broke me completely."

Craig's voice was barely audible now. Chris winced. He wished his hands were free so he could hold him and stop him shivering.

"I'm sorry. I wish I'd cared more when you came back. I hope you can forgive me," Chris whispered.

"It's okay, Chris. I'll be alright. My fault for being a stubborn bastard and not telling anyone," Craig whispered.

"No it isn't. None of what you suffered was your fault. No one deserves torture."

"Thanks, mate. Reckon we should try and sleep?"

"Might be wise. I am feeling rather drowsy." Chris yawned as if to emphasise his point. He shifted yet again and curled up against Craig. "Sorry, I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?"

"Hmm? Oh, nah, you're fine. I'm used to sleeping in strange positions. And no, that has nothing to do with Caleb, before you decide to tease me."

"Oh? So you only sleep in strange positions with other guys? I didn't know you and Caleb had such a boring sex life." Chris couldn't help himself.

Craig bats him with his wings and bites at his hair, unable to lash out at him any other way. Chris yelps before he realises what he's done and suddenly, they panic and hope they haven't aroused Andrew's attention. They freeze and listen for any sign of trouble.

After several minutes passed without Andrew coming in to see them, Craig decided Andrew probably hadn't heard them. Curled up together, Craig wrapped them in his wings as they closed their eyes and tried to sleep.

* * *

Charles drove into the night, Caleb by his side, searching for any trace of Andrew's truck. By process of elimination, they'd worked out the truck's rego, so they'd know which truck it was when they found it. They drove for three hours before finally stopping, having found no trace of the truck as they searched the roads, petrol stations, and anywhere else they could think of to look. Charles pulled over to the side of the road where there was a bit of bushland and hid the truck from view. Charles and Caleb got their camp beds set up in the back of the truck and curled up to sleep after a quick dinner. They would continue their search in the morning.

"You'd better be alright, Andrew. I won't forgive myself if they've hurt you," Charles murmured as he drifted off to sleep.

"If he's hurt Craig, I'm gonna smack him one. Just you try and stop me," Caleb murmured.

"I wouldn't dare. I've seen the marks you leave on Craig."

"Damn straight."

"I've heard you're very good at what you do."

Caleb rolled over to look at him. "You wanna fuck? Just ask, man."

"Make it hard and rough?" Charles begged.

"Well, get your arse out then. Come on, hurry up before we get caught."

Caleb was ready before Charles was. Charles insisted on nakedness. Caleb pulled one of Charles' arms behind his back as he thrust into him, dealing with him as if he was just another client. Charles squealed happily. Caleb's strength had increased since he first arrived, and this helped when it came to rough sex. He could fuck harder now, and Charles could tell. He was walking a fine line between pleasure and pain.

Caleb soon rolled them both over onto their sides, lifting Charles' leg up as he thrust inside him. Charles squirmed as Caleb held him. Charles hadn't been fucked that way before, and indeed, Caleb was hitting him harder than he'd anticipated. Caleb pumping his dick while he thrust was also rather erotic. But then they weren't fucking for any other reason than releasing tension. It didn't have to be sensual or erotic or anything like that.

Caleb glanced up at the truck door and saw a soldier looking in at them silently. Caleb winked at him and finished Charles off. Charles lay there exhausted before he crawled into his clothes and into bed. Caleb sat up, catching his breath.

"Hey, I'm gonna go take a piss, okay?" Caleb said, pulling his pants and shoes on.

"Mkay," Charles replied before quickly drifting off to sleep.

Caleb left the truck to find two soldiers waiting for them. Caleb shut the door softly and approached them. "Keep it down, okay? I don't want to wake him."

"What might you two be doing out here with an Army truck?" the spying soldier said. His jacket pronounced his name to be Tyler.

"That depends on how much you care. What'll it cost me for you to pretend you've never seen us?" Caleb said.

"Once a slut, always a slut. You know how this system works," Tyler said.

"And are we both interested?" Caleb said.

"Yeah, sure we are," Tyler said. "Aren't we, mate?"

"Yeah, sure. I bet you're a good fuck," Tyler's mate said.

"Of course I am. I wouldn't be alive now if I wasn't," Caleb said. "Where?"

"Back of the truck. You get naked and we screw your brains out. Then we let you go and forget we ever saw you. Deal?" Tyler said.

"Throw in a handgun and you've got a deal," Caleb said.

"Yeah, alright. We got a spare floating around. Come on then," Tyler said, gesturing to their truck.

Caleb followed them into the truck and stripped for them, lying down on the mattress in the back which the two men clearly slept on. Caleb praised his luck in finding two soldiers who weren't interested in beating the living shit out of him. Caleb lay there as they fucked him, working off their own lonely lust. Clearly, they thought it inappropriate to fuck each other and did what a lot of soldiers did and looked for prostitutes instead. Well, Caleb had better do his job properly then.

Caleb left them soon enough with his shiny new handgun after he'd shot them both dead, not trusting them enough not to tell. He'd raided their truck for anything of value and clambered back into the truck, waking Charles at last.

"That was a long piss. What were those shots?" Charles said as he watched Caleb clamber into the driver's seat.

"Couple of soldiers wanted payment to stay silent, but I didn't trust them, so I shot them. Let's get out of here before they're discovered," Caleb said, revving the engine.

"Shit. You little terror. That was good thinking. Grab anything of value?" Charles said, sitting up as he joined Caleb in the front.

"Food, weapons, maps, oh, and their radio. We'll be able to keep an ear on their progress," Caleb said, patting the loot on the seat beside him.

"I think I'd have been dead if I'd been alone. Boy am I glad you're here," Charles said.

"Oh, it was nothing. I've dealt with idiots like them before. Sometimes, you just can't trust them to keep quiet so they get a bullet in the brain. Their loss for being morons," Caleb said as they drove along.

"So where to now?" Charles said.

"Figured we'd keep going through to the next town. Gives us more space between them. Then we can find a motel in the morning and plan our route from there," Caleb said.

"Are you sure you never went through cadet training?" Charles said.

"Absolutely. What I know I picked up from others and my father before I was sold," Caleb said.

"You'd pass with flying colours if you did," Charles said.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Now, keep an ear on that radio while we go. If anything comes up, let me know," Caleb said.

"Will do," Charles said, grabbing the radio. Somehow, he'd become second to Caleb, and Charles was surprised to discover that his mind didn't much care. He sighed and dutifully listened to the radio for any sign of trouble as he gazed absently out the window as they travelled through the night.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew questions the voice in his head, Charles and Caleb continue their search while Chas decides to be extra distracting to the detriment of poor Julian.

Andrew woke the next morning, clutching the sheets tightly to his chest as if afraid to let them go. They still smelt like Chris. The dark room had a small smattering of sunlight streaming in from a roughly cut window. It was one of the few rooms to have any sort of window, of which Andrew was grateful. He was beginning to hate the caves. They were dark and cold and enclosed, like a tomb.

Stretching stiffly - the bed had not been all that comfortable - Andrew got up and went to check on Chris and Craig. He crept quietly through the caves so as to not alert them to his movements. He peered in and saw them both fast asleep, Chris resting his head against Craig's shoulder, Craig's wings wrapped loosely around them. Andrew resisted the urge to disturb them. He'd leave them alone until the voice told him to act.

_'Have faith, my child. You will soon be rewarded. Have patience and wait. The time is not yet right to contact them yet. Go, eat, and explore the caves. You will need this knowledge later on,'_ the voice chided him, sensing his impatience.

"Exploring caves. How exciting. What else am I to do with my day then?" Andrew said, unimpressed by the voice's commands as he walked away from the cavern where Chris and Craig were.

_'Do as we say and you may be granted a night with the winged one. Do not disturb them. Go and prepare the room for tomorrow. You will be allowed to play in there with the winged one if you please us sufficiently today,'_ the voice said.

"Alright, alright, fine. I'll go and explore the fucking caves. What am I allowed to eat for breakfast then?" Andrew said, getting used to talking aloud to the voice.

_'You may have what you wish. There is a small fire pit in the kitchen-like room where you may heat water, should you require it,'_ the voice said.

"And where may I wash? Or did you not think to provide such facilities? I'm getting sick of being dirty," Andrew said.

_'There may be something hidden in the caves. We have not been here for some time. This is why we ask you to explore. We require your eyes to refresh our knowledge of these caves. Will you do this for us?'_ the voice asked.

"Yeah, alright. We'll go exploring. But we eat first. I'm starving," Andrew said.

_'As you wish,'_ the voice said, displaying unusual deference to the human it commanded completely. Well, almost completely.

Andrew walked back towards the store room where he'd left the food and went through what he'd brought that could suffice for breakfast. He found some bread, and some meat and milk that was packed into an esky. He fished them out and put some water on to boil to make some coffee while he ate the meat and bread, unable to muster the energy to make anything else.

Sufficiently satisfied, he finished his coffee and went exploring, making sure to mark the cave walls with a piece of chalk so he didn't get lost. There were a lot of empty rooms that appeared to have no apparent purpose. Andrew wondered who had made them, for they had clearly been human-made, and why they'd made such an extensive network of caves. He found several dungeons that looked like they had once been used to house prisoners. Had the Army once had soldiers here? There was no trace left of the last occupants.

Andrew wandered further into the caves and discovered what appeared to be a communal shower area, albeit one not enclosed in any sort of room. The shower roses and taps had been anchored into the walls as if there was plumbing behind the solid rock that carried water here. Andrew tentatively approached them, crossing the bone-dry tiles. He tried one of the taps, turning it to see if water might come out of it still. Nothing happened. He tried each of the seven sets of taps to no avail. The final shower yielded results and cold water spluttered down onto the tiles at last. Impressed at this achievement, Andrew tried to see if he could make the water hot.

After several minutes, he had achieved lukewarm water, which he had to admit was better than nothing. He was pleased he'd brought a towel and soap with him in case he happened to find a shower that worked. Resting them on the rocky ledge separating the shower area from the corridor, Andrew stripped off and stood under the water, pleased to be able to get clean at last.

He indulged himself for as long as the warm water lasted before he reluctantly turned the water off and dried himself in the chilly air. Feeling better for being clean, he made a mental note where the showers were before heading off again to explore the rest of the caves.

Two hours later he finally returned to where he'd started, having explored every single inch of the cave complex to the voice's instructions. He peered in at Chris and Craig again, seeing them finally awake though still in the same positions as when he'd seen them last.

He left them to go eat again, managing to cook some semblance of a hot meal over the fire to keep him going all afternoon. He wandered out to the mouth of the cave after that, soaking in some much desired sunshine. He finally had a chance to take in his surroundings. Knowing Chris and Craig were safely locked in their cage, Andrew took a wander around, taking note of the forest in the distance, the directions of the roads and tracks from the mouth of the cave and the small stream he found nearby which appeared to have fish in it. Maybe he'd have a go at catching them later on for a bit of fresh produce, although he didn't have much skill at preparing fish to be cooked.

The sun was fairly warm, Andrew figured it had to be over 25 degrees outside, and there was a warm breeze from the north blowing across the land. It felt hotter than it probably was. Andrew pulled his jumper off and wrapped it around his waist, not needing it outside the caves. He sat by the stream, lost in thought, watching the small river of water trickle by quietly. He balled his jumper into a makeshift pillow and lay back, staring up at the sky.

_'You have done well, dear Andrew. The pretty ones are pleased with you,'_ the voice said.

"I feel bad that I've taken my friends. Why do they deserve this? You're going to make me hand them over to the Army, aren't you? I'm not sure I can put Craig through that again," Andrew said as he looked for pictures in the clouds.

_'We do it for the good of the country. What is one individual to the survival of the entire nation?'_ the voice said, showing a harshness to its voice Andrew was unfamiliar with.

"But Craig's my friend. I've known him for years. I know what they did to him last time. I can't put him through that again," Andrew said.

_'He has wronged you, stolen your human lover from you. Surely this justifies revenge?'_ the voice said, changing tactics.

"Maybe. Maybe they were just comforting each other while I was sick," Andrew said, not sure what to believe.

_'How do you know you can trust them? You can only rely on us and Charles. We're the only ones who will never lie to you,'_ the voice said, trying again to make Andrew utterly dependant.

"But you're making me hurt my friends. I'm not sure I like you anymore," Andrew said, sounding like a miserable child.

_'If you will not obey, we will kill you instead. We will bring you such pain and suffering unlike anything you have ever known before,'_ the voice hisses angrily, sending a jolt of pain down Andrew's spine.

Andrew laughed darkly, seemingly unimpressed at the voice's efforts. "You won't kill me. Who else will do your bidding? I'm all you've got," Andrew said.

_'You grow too confident, child. You must be reminded of your place,'_ the voice hisses, increasing the jolt of pain throughout his body.

This time, Andrew curls up in pain, gasping, unable to work out how a voice in his head wields such power over his own body. The pain lasts a mere second before receding, leaving him lying on the ground, his body aching.

"Fuck you. I hate it when you do that. Why can't you leave me alone?" Andrew said, trying to catch his breath.

_'There is no one else! You will obey us! Now get back inside and prepare for tomorrow! Tomorrow, it all begins!'_ the voice said, clearly angry and demanding Andrew's obedience.

"Alright, alright, I get it already. Quit yelling in my head, bastards," Andrew said as he got to his feet.

Leaving the peaceful tranquillity of the stream behind, Andrew wandered back to the caves to prepare things for tomorrow, doing as the voice asked him to do.

* * *

Caleb and Charles had stopped at a small motel an hour and a half down from where they'd shot the soldiers. They woke the owner and managed to sweet-talk him into a room by offering him three times the normal fee. Clearly he got so little business, he was willing to take anything. Besides, they'd organised their cover story while they were driving, and their uniforms looked real enough that the poor bloke believed them. They crashed after three in the morning, having decided to sleep as long as they desired to steel themselves for a search that could take a long time to finish.

Caleb woke first. He wandered over to the general store and picked up some breakfast. There was nothing like fresh supplies to start the day. He'd save the rest and ration them during the rest of the day. He returned to find Charles just waking up.

"Get up, lazybones. Time to get going," Caleb said.

"Ugh. Is it morning already? Jesus. How long have you been up anyway?" Charles said, sitting up in bed.

"Long enough. It's nearly 10am. Time to get out of here. Those soldiers have just been discovered, so we should make ourselves scarce in case they come this way," Caleb said.

"Have I got time for a shower?" Charles said.

"I want us out of here in half an hour. That's showering, eating, everything. I got us some breakfast. Eat up, mate," Caleb said, handing Charles his breakfast. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

Charles unwrapped his breakfast and ate. Caleb perched on the bed beside him. They'd been landed with a double bed and had to share, but neither seemed to care. Caleb tidied up their room while Charles showered.

Charles had convinced Caleb that they should pose as Army officers. Charles had a spare fake ID. He carried many of them depending on the work he had to do for the rebellion. His time in the Army had taught him skills he'd found impossible to forget.

Charles hadn't even wanted to be in the Army, or any of the Armed Forces, but he'd missed the cut-off for optional service by three years and his father shunted him into the Army where he had served two decades earlier. It was hard to refuse him. His father wouldn't have a sissy for a son and determined that the Army would toughen him up like it had toughened him up.

At the time, there had been an invasion looming. Recruits had been trained in their thousands in preparation. The year Charles finished his cadets training, he and his comrades had been shipped off in battle ships to invade New Zealand. They arrived at a point on the west coast of the south island and charged through the enemy forces. Charles, always a coward, watched his friends die around him. He was almost captured, but managed to create enough of a diversion so he could get away.

He fought when he was forced to, and wasted three years there in mindless slaughter. He was always surprised he'd lasted that long. Once the fighting had died down enough, Charles escaped and stowed away on a cargo ship back to Sydney and deserted. He joined the rebellion some time after and they had convinced him to keep his old uniforms and weapons in case they needed a disguise.

Charles had met Andrew back then as well. Andrew had come to the rebellion after his time was up, looking for some way to get back at what they'd done to him. They'd never felt brave enough to speak about their experiences in New Zealand to anyone other than themselves. There was no other way to cope. No one who hadn't been in New Zealand had the capacity to understand just how scarring an experience it had been. Andrew had seen grown men fall to pieces. Charles had witnessed the most barbaric side of humanity he hadn't been sure existed. Both had lost close friends, far too many close friends. Of the original invasion force, barely a third lived to return, and most of those were stuck in mental hospitals or had committed suicide. Veterans knew who had served there just by looking at them. They all had the same horror etched into their eyes that no amount of therapy and drugs could ever remove.

Their friendship had given Charles and Andrew a resilience they hadn't thought they'd find. Charles had been at the point of killing himself, so fed up with life and the memories he had. Andrew had given him an outlet, someone who understood, had been there with him. That had saved him when no one else could. Sometimes they didn't even talk. Sometimes all they did was hold each other close and try and pretend they were normal.

After a few minutes to discuss their plan of action, Charles and Caleb set off, stopping first at one of the few petrol stations left. It mainly served the Army, but also served the local farmers. It was one of the few places left they could get supplies. Consultation with Julian had narrowed down the rego of the truck they were looking for, which made things much easier. Now all they had to do was work out where it was heading.

The petrol station was empty bar the attendant inside. Charles led the way, since his ID outranked Caleb's. Charles was glad he'd remembered to bring a spare uniform for Caleb, or their ploy wouldn't have worked.

The attendant was a man of around 50, greying hair and withering looks. He had his feet on the counter as he read the paper. Charles caught the headline on the front page. Government Clamps Down On Rebellion, Destroys Rebel Hideouts. Charles picked up a paper. He figured he'd scan it for news.

"Just the paper, sir?" the attendant said.

"Yeah. I'm also looking for a truck stolen by some mutants a few weeks ago. Word has it they were last seen around here. That's the rego," Charles said, showing him the plate numbers they were looking for.

The man peered at it and thought. "Yeah, I think I saw them last night. Stopped in fast. Filled up and left. Poor bloke looked deranged, but I served him anyway, I didn't want no trouble. 'Sides, he didn't steal anything. Kept muttering to himself. Didn't see anyone with him though. Thought he was alone. Sure he was a mutant? Looked like some sort of mad soldier to me. One of your blokes gone mad, has he?" he said.

"Something like that, sir. Which direction did he head in?" Charles said.

"North east. Only word I could make out that he said was caves. Ain't no caves out that way though. It's all old mining towns and quarries. Nah, for caves you want the coast. Fifty mile north, there's some lovely limestone ones out there. Almost inaccessible. Used to play there when I was a kid. Good for hiding in. Might want to look there. Can't think why you'd go north east. Nowhere to run, not out there. You'd die before you returned to civilisation. Bad, bad things out that way. Nope, no one goes out that way unless they're Armed Forces. Talk said they got special secret bases out there where they keep them mutants and do experiments on them," he said.

"Seen many Army personnel out here then?" Charles said.

"A few, here and there. They're the only ones that go north east. Everyone else don't go that way," the man said. "Will that be all?"

"Yeah, thanks, you've been very helpful. How much for the paper?" Charles said.

"One fifty, but you can have it for nothing. Just be careful out there. Fewer eyes, more trouble. I hope you've got back up if you need it. Never sure what sort of danger you'll find out here," the man said.

Charles fished out some coins and left them on the counter as he left, tipping his hat to him as he went. Caleb followed and they got back in the truck to continue their search.

"So, where we heading?" Caleb said, starting the engine again.

"North east. Andrew's out that way, I just know it," Charles said.

"So you believe him then?" Caleb said.

"I don't see why he'd bother lying to us. We'll ask at the next town to confirm his story. How does that sound?" Charles said.

"Alright. We'll do that. We'll do a proper route after that. Now scan the-"

"Paper for news? Was going to do that anyway," Charles said.

"Good man," Caleb said.

Charles had time to read the front page properly. He wanted to know what the Government were crowing about. Sure enough, the warehouse they were claiming to have destroyed as a major rebel base had been their own hideout. For once they were printing the truth, though no one would really know that. The article also claimed major rebel leaders had been killed in the attack and the rebels had been hopelessly overwhelmed. Nothing like a bit of morning propaganda to brighten the day.

"Says here they arrested six rebel leaders when they attacked our last haven. I don't recall there being any arrests," Charles said.

"There weren't. We all got out. Those that didn't had been killed. There weren't any soldiers left to arrest us. We'd killed them all before we left," Caleb said.

"More lies. Fantastic," Charles said.

"It's the way they work, mate. I thought you'd know that better than anyone," Caleb said.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I like it," Charles said.

"So, is there anything else in there worth noting then?" Caleb said.

"Uh," Charles flicked the page to see what else lay inside, "the usual, it seems. Though, wait. There's something here about the labour camps. The ones where they were shunting all the halfwings. Apparently there was a riot at one of them and the guards were killed. No reports as to how many people survived. Surprise, surprise, they're blaming us for it. Well, not us specifically, but the rebellion comprising of mutants, their allies and other traitors to the Crown. You can really feel the love, can't you?" Charles said.

"That wasn't one of ours, was it? I mean, we didn't actually do that one, did we?" Caleb said.

"They've barely begun rounding them up. We haven't had time to consider breaking into camps, starting riots and freeing people. We're far too concerned with the rebellion. If they're being helped, it's not by us," Charles said.

"I'll have to let Julian know. He'll want to know about that riot. I don't know how easily they'll be getting papers up there," Charles said.

"Good idea. Let him know how we're going," Caleb said.

"Will do," Charles said, fishing out their phone.

* * *

When Charles rang, Julian was being suitably distracted by a very determined Chas. It took all Julian's powers of persuasion to get Chas to back off so Julian could answer the phone before it hung up. Julian batted him away as he reached for the phone, managing to pick it up on the seventh ring.

"Yeah? Charles, is that you?" Julian said, holding Chas back as he grinned and attempted to suck him off.

"Uh, yeah, Caleb said to call. We're just starting our search for the day. Heard any news?" Charles said.

"Uh, no, not yet, I uh-"

Julian cursed and hissed at Chas to back off. Chas wrestled the phone from Julian. "Chuckie boy! How are we doing? Screwed that little twink yet?"

"His name's Caleb, and yes, I have. He also shot a couple of soldiers as well. Would it kill you to let me speak to Jules quickly so you can get back to your playtime?" Charles said.

"Alright, alright. Just be quick. He can't start the day without his morning fuck," Chas said. He reluctantly handed the phone back, pouting adorably at Julian in a bid to gain his forgiveness.

"Charles, make it quick. Chas is pulling those puppy eyes of his," Julian said.

"That bastard! Look, we're heading north east. I've got a feeling he's out that way. Bloke at the servo said something about caves or quarries. We'll stop at the next town to see if they kept going and plan a a route from there," Charles said.

"Sounds good. Oh, and mate? Be careful. We think they'll be stepping up regional patrols as well. Don't get your sorry arse caught again, you hear?" Julian said.

"I don't intend to, and I don't think they'll bother arresting us again. I got the feeling they were done with us when they let us go before. But we'll stick to the back route and play it safe," Charles said.

"Good man. Call back later when you've got news. I'll fill you in on the situation fully then," Julian said.

"Alright. I'll let Chassy have his fun then," Charles said.

Chas snatched the phone back again. "Oi, Chuckie, call after ten am next time, will you? He's never happy when his morning fuck gets interrupted."

"I'll keep that in mind, mate," Charles said.

Chas threw the phone away and kissed his Julian. Now that Charles was gone, he could get on with mauling Julian as he desired.

* * *

Andrew wanted to be sick as he unpacked, cleaned and set out the instruments of torture he would be forced to use the next day. He hadn't quite registered what he'd brought when the voice had asked him to pack them. Now he saw each individual weapon, and the implied pain they would cause to his friends attacked him and he wanted to throw up. He wasn't sure he could do what the voice wanted him to do.

"This is going to kill me. Kidnapping them is one thing, but this? This is much worse. Why do I have to hurt them? Why can't I just keep them in their cage until the Army comes for them?" Andrew said, not understanding why he needed to be so cruel.

_'Because they must fear you. And for that to happen, you must hurt them,'_ the voice said nastily.

"But they're my friends. I can't hurt them like that," Andrew argued.

_'Punish Chris by hurting the winged one. Chris betrayed you, yes?'_ the voice goads.

"Maybe," Andrew said, not convinced.

_'He loves the winged one, not you. Why do you think he clings to him like a vulnerable child? He seeks comfort from him, not you. Pay him back. Make him regret the day he sold his heart to that traitor,'_ the voice said angrily, sending a blast of pain down Andrew's spine in a bid to scare him into obedience.

Andrew whimpered and fell back, his knees crumbling beneath him. He clutched his head in pain, hating how much control the voice had over his mind and body. "But-but he loves me," Andrew said through gritted teeth.

_'Prove it,'_ the voice said.

Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but quickly realised he could think of nothing to prove his case. "I-I can't. All I know is that in my heart, I know he loves me, but that will never be enough for you," he said softly.

_'Then do as we say and punish him! That is all that matters!'_ the voice hissed, another jolt of pain searing through Andrew's body.

Andrew collapsed on the floor, curling up as best he could as the voice flooded his body with pain and his mind with nightmares. His hands clutched his head, unsure how to make the pain stop. The voice was sending him vicious images of pain, torture and suffering, the price of disobedience. There was Craig, in his mind, chained up and helpless as he was beaten and whipped by soldiers, as if the voice was implying what would happen to him if Andrew didn't obey. Andrew began sobbing, feeling helpless and alone, unable to stop the voice taking his mind again.

"Please, stop," Andrew whispered. "I-I promise to obey you."

_'Not yet. You have not learned your lesson yet!'_ the voice said, refusing to give in.

Andrew whimpered again, vague memories floating into his mind of being in this sort of pain before as he lay strapped to something in the darkness, the voice commanding his complete obedience.

_'You are weak, child, burdened by feelings and emotions you don't need. Remember, we're the ones who will look after you. Don't trouble yourself with such things. We know best, dear Andrew, remember that. Do as we say and no harm shall come to you. You can make the pain stop, Andrew. Just give in to us and we'll look after everything. You won't go hungry again if you serve us well,'_ the voice said, trying to coax him into obedience.

"But-but Craig, he-"

_'Silence! Hush, dear Andrew. Give in to us and we'll take care of you. No one else can. They are all weak. You don't want to be weak, do you?'_ the voice said.

"N-no, weak is bad," Andrew forced himself to say.

_'We are the only ones who can make you strong. Chris betrayed you. He deserves punishment. You will take them both and hurt Craig. The suffering of his lover shall be Chris' punishment. Before this, you will contact the Army and arrange to hand them over. You may be permitted to play with them while they arrive,'_ the voice said.

"O-okay, I'll do it. I promise I won't disobey you again. Just make the pain stop, please," Andrew begged, the constant jarring pain wearing him down.

_'You are wise after you are foolish. Do not question us again. We will not be so lenient next time,'_ the voice said, finally relenting on the pain.

Andrew sighed with relief, curling into himself in a bid to rid his body of the pain.

_'As punishment for your disobedience, you will not be permitted to play with the winged one tonight. You have not earned it. Finish in here and you will be permitted to rest at last,'_ the voice said.

"Yes," was all Andrew could bring himself to say.

* * *

Finally released from his duties, Andrew sulked off to eat a pathetic meal of dry bread, salty meat, sour cheese and overripe tomato before curling up on his uncomfortable bed to cry himself to sleep, clutching the sheets to his chest to breathe in the desperately faint smell of Chris as if it was the only comfort he had left.

"I'm sorry, Chris. I'm too weak to save you," Andrew breathed, drying his tears on the sheets.

_'Sleep now. We will take care of everything,'_ the voice soothed, sending him into a deep sleep.


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word spreads of the labour camps where the halfwings were sent and battle plans must be revised, Caleb and Charles continue their search and Andrew reaches his limit and refuses to do the voice's bidding any longer.

Their new town base had become stilled with anticipation since Andrew had fled with Chris and Craig. With little news filtering through, no one was quite sure if they were all still okay. Adam wasn't happy about the situation. The last thing he needed was a rogue agent out there. The State could attack them at any time and here they were, worrying about three of their own. Surely the energy they spent looking for Andrew could be put to better use. Intellectually, it was an argument Adam agreed with. However, he knew as well as anyone else that they couldn't just let them go. He needed them back.

Adam was distracting himself now. If he didn't think about Andrew, he wouldn't worry so much. It wasn't proving that simple. Adam knew Andrew's military record. He made it his business to look into everyone's past before letting them into the rebellion. If Andrew snapped, he had the knowledge to cause Chris and Craig incredible pain and torment. Adam was quite sure that shouldn't happen. He could only hope Charles and Caleb found them in time.

Hamish found him standing by the window of his small office, looking over the township they'd hijacked. Hamish had sent out for newspapers and his scout had finally returned.

"Got the papers, Adam. Shall we see what lies they're spreading this time?" Hamish said as he entered.

Adam turned around. "Oh, sure, good idea."

Hamish sat down on the sofa and set the papers down on the coffee table. Adam joined him and picked up one, gazing at the headline. "Should we be surprised they've managed to spin that defeat at our old warehouse into some sort of victory?"

"Not really. There are bureaucrats dedicated to spinning everything the Army does to spur on the people. It's how they keep the people loyal. It's stupid though. They get defeated all the time and screw up constantly and yet the people think they're invincible. The people are supposed to fear them and they wouldn't do that if they heard about how pathetic they really are," Hamish said.

"Hmm, that's a good point. We'd better be careful. Says here they're preparing for one final assault on the rebellion. Apparently they've been amassing their forces. And the labour camps are going up all over the place. I'll get Julian to warn Charles when they're next in contact. Labour camps mean many more soldiers to contend with," Adam said.

"And all sorts of atrocities being committed to the people held there. This is not going to be good. Ahh, shit, apparently there's been some sort of riot at one of the camps. Apparently, it was our fault. Strangely, I don't think it was this time. We don't have moles in there yet, do we?" Hamish said.

"No, we don't. The rebellion has priority. I've pulled out as many of our agents as is safe to do so in preparation. If there are rebels in the labour camps, they're not working under our authority. What happened anyway?" Adam said.

"It just says there was a riot and the prisoners killed the guards and escaped. There's nothing here that says what happened to them, though I'm sure we can both guess. They haven't specified where the camp is either. They're probably afraid of provoking us too much. Maybe they really are scared of us," Hamish said.

"Of course they're scared of us. We're a threat to their authority. And for once, we are powerful enough to be scared of. We've got enough fire power to take them down, thanks to the Chinese. It's high time they started taking us seriously for once," Adam said.

"So what do we do?" Hamish said.

"About what exactly?" Adam said.

"The labour camps. We never counted on that actually happening. What are we going to do with everyone caught in the camps? We can't just leave them there. We should free them. They're mostly halfwings anyway," Hamish said.

"Oh, gods. Not more work to do. Christ. Look, I'll go talk to Wil and Jules and everyone, see what they think we should do. I'm not making any promises, alright?" Adam said.

"Fine. Just as long as we do something with them. We don't want to leave them standing. That will do nothing for our credibility," Hamish said.

Adam nodded his agreement as he continued to flick through the papers. He had a lot to think about. How could they factor in the camps without compromising their rebellion? It would require a rethink and perhaps a total redesign of their attack plans. This was not what he wanted to be going so close to the date they're supposed to attack.

"You're going to leave me again, aren't you? Got plans to make, hey?" Hamish said.

"What makes you say that?" Adam said.

"It's that look on your face. You're annoyed I've ruined your wonderful battle plans. Go on then, go badger Wil and Jules again. You won't be happy until you have, you know," Hamish said. He set his paper down as he gave Adam a stern look. "Go on! Shoo! I'll scan the papers for you and let you know if anything important's there."

Adam handed him his paper, appreciating his offer. "Thanks, love. I'll be back soon, alright?" he said, kissing his forehead.

"I won't see you til lunchtime. I know you too well," Hamish said.

Adam ruffles his hair as he leaves, anxious to redraw their battle plans now that they have the labour camps to think of. Hamish curls into the couch and flicks through the papers some more, making a note of anything that Adam should know about.

* * *

Adam finds Julian in his room, having just successfully subdued Chas. Chas was now chained up on the bed while Julian sat at his desk and began his work.

"Was someone being a tad distracting this morning, Julian?" Adam said, gazing at Chas in amusement.

Julian turned to face him. "Honestly, sometimes I really miss that bloody cage I had for him. Some days I just never get any work done," he said.

"You would work all the time if I wasn't there to distract you. I'm doing you a service. Oh, and hi Adam," Chas said, thankful Julian had merely tied him up and hadn't bothered gagging him.

"Hi Chas. Listen, Jules, we need to talk about the plans and what to do about the labour camps. I'm going to gather everyone down in the basement for a meeting, alright?" Adam said.

"Sure, sounds good to me. I had wondered about that myself. I'll go get the others if you want. I was going to go see them now anyway. Give me ten?" Julian said.

"Go for it. I'll go get some coffee," Adam said.

"Julian, if you're going to leave me, would it kill you to untie me first? I am not staying like this," Chas said.

"Alright, fine. I'll untie you. You'd better give me a hand, Adam. He'll just wriggle otherwise," Julian said.

"I thought that was part of the fun?" Adam said, going to help Julian anyway.

"Not when we have more important things to worry about," Julian said.

Chas pouted adorably as he was finally freed again from his bonds. Julian received a playful lick and had Adam not been there to whisk his Julian off for Very Important Things, he may have just started distracting him again. With Chas finally settled, Adam heads off to find coffee while Julian goes to get the others.

* * *

Everyone gathered in the basement, well, those who were able to leave their duties long enough to do so. No one quite knew what to be focussing on, with the search for Andrew tearing away concentration on the rebellion itself. Still, that there were eight of them gathered here was better than nothing. Adam had already handed out coffee. Now it was time to get down to business.

"You'll all have seen the papers, yes? Hamish rightly pointed out to me this morning that we need to factor the labour camps into our plans, because as you know, we never thought things would get that bad. But apparently we were wrong. So now we have to do something about them. Any suggestions?" Adam said.

"We can't just leave them. They're full of halfwings. It's our duty to free them. We need to find out where these camps are and how many there are. That will make it easier to work out how to tackle them," Julian said.

"Wil, got any ideas about recon? Are there any around here that we know of?" Adam said.

"The Government are being incredibly sneaky about this. They're only referring to the camps by code names, and that code doesn't give away locations. We'd need someone to infiltrate very high up to get a list of where the camps are, and I doubt that's within our power to obtain. We may have to wing it and free the camps we happen to find. I only have a list of about 15 code names, and word is there are many more than that across the country," Wil said.

"We need to get word out to our interstate allies that they need to check for these camps. The more of them we know, the better. Once we have a master list, we might be able to work out how to get to them," Adam said.

"They'll probably be in remote locations, or ones that are hard to get to. They wouldn't be stupid enough to use abandoned warehouses in restricted zones as camps, would they?" Chas said.

"You'd be surprised at the levels of stupidity in the Armed Forces. I wouldn't put it past them to do exactly that to throw us off the trail. Did anyone check if the code names matched up with restricted zone numbers?" Andy said.

"No, we never thought they'd be that thick. Let's check the maps though. Wil, get me those maps of the restricted zones around our old base," Adam said.

Wil retrieved the maps and spread them over the old pool table. They showed the old metro area with restricted zones circled in red lines and their assigned number in the middle.

"The list of camps I've got have code names involving a colour and a number. They may very well match up with these. I wasn't aware that the zones had different colours though," Wil said.

"They don't. They've probably used some arbitrary system to divide the zones into smaller groups and given them colours. The numbers would probably stay the same, so they'd know which one it meant, rather than have one zone with two numbers. What numbers have you got anyway?" Andy said.

"The ones I've got are 12, 25, 53, 62, 81, 83, 123, 168, 172, 175, 201, 219, 241, 295 and 297. I haven't been able to confirm they are only New South Wales zones. They could bleed into Victoria or Queensland," Wil said.

"They should all be New South Wales. The zones are divided into groups by state, like post codes are. Three hundred and below are us, Victoria has three to five hundred, Queensland has up to seven fifty, South Australia closes at a thousand, and Western Australia has til twelve fifty. The Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania have what's left over. If we mapped those numbers to their zones, we'd be able to work out the colours. It wouldn't tell us where all the camps are, as they probably won't use every restricted zone, but it will give us the locations of those ones. We won't get a full map until we have all the camp numbers," Andy said.

"Andy, you and Wil get those zones plotted. If there are any camps that cross our battle plans, we'll take them. What should we do with survivors though?" Adam said.

"We should get them secured with our own men and set them up as hospitals. We can treat those who need it and keep the people safe as well, especially if they're old warehouses. We can survive there with little activity being visible and use them as safe havens between battles as we go. I can't think of anything more to do than that. Of course, any able-bodied halfwings who wish to fight with us can join us," Tim said.

"I suppose we'll need a bigger armoury of weapons if we'll be recruiting from labour camps as we go. We'll have to restock, maybe raid another army camp and grab what we can. The Chinese have given us all they can. The rest is up to us, and we don't have the unfettered access to weapons that the Army does. A raid or two might be worth our time, but far away from here to avoid suspicion. Pin down some easy targets away from our camps and get some raiding parties organised. Kill anyone you find. I don't want us getting reported. I know I don't always advocate killing, but we're so close to this rebellion I'm not willing to take any chances. If they offer to join us, kill them anyway. It might be a ruse to spy amongst us and I won't have our new location compromised. Understood?" Adam said.

"I'll get right on it. Chas, come on, we'll go get some raiding parties together," Tim said.

And with that, the meeting ended. Tim and Chas went off together, Wil and Andy poured over the maps, trying to locate the labour camps they knew about, and Adam took Julian, Dom and Shane aside to discuss acquiring weapons and organising any halfwing prisoners they found. Logistics were everything and they had to get this right.

* * *

Charles and Caleb continued their search and found that the next town was even more dismal than the last. There were only a few houses, one pub-cum-hotel and a general store. Charles thought it a good thing they filled up on petrol at the last town. For lack of anywhere else to go, they pulled up outside the pub and decided to see if there was a room available.

The pub was dingy and empty. Perhaps it was too early for the blokes out here to start drinking. The carpet was dingy, there was a smell of must in the air, and there weren't any lights on at all.

"I wonder where everyone is?" Caleb said. He wandered over to the bar and ran a finger along it. "Damn. It's dusty, Charles. I don't think anyone's here."

"Let's look around everywhere first before we make that pronouncement, and keep an eye out for anything salvageable," Charles said.

"If this place has been abandoned, I doubt there'll be any food worth stealing," Caleb said.

"Well, you never know. With towns like this that get abandoned, it can take a while before anyone realises and shuts off the power and water. There might still be some food available," Charles said.

"We'd have heard any fridges or generators if there was still power here. Listen. It's totally silent. No power. Might still be water, but don't bank on it. This place has long been abandoned. The only reason it still looks okay is that no one bothers looting towns this far out. There's nothing worth stealing, except perhaps generators, though most of the time they're more trouble than they're worth. Come on, let's keep going. We might find another town that's still inhabited before day's end," Caleb said.

"Hey, since when did you become the boss? I outrank you," Charles said.

"Since you decided to sub to me, bitch. Feel free to take the power back if you like. I mean, it does look a bit pathetic to have a grown man taking orders from a teenager," Caleb said.

Charles went to answer, but didn't think it was worth it. There was something about Caleb that made Charles defer to him. It was annoying, but it seemed to work.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Charles said.

They spent a while in the truck looking at the maps to work out the best way to go before heading east along an old mining track. Charles drove while Caleb manned the radio and read the papers. They would find Andrew's hideout and they would bring them all back unharmed. Charles wouldn't let Andrew get hurt anymore.

* * *

Back in the cave, the voice abruptly roused Andrew from his sleep. He found himself wide awake, lying on his back, staring up at the dark rocky ceiling of his room.

_'It is time. Wake, dear Andrew. Today is the day we have been preparing for,'_ the voice said, intruding into Andrew's sleepy head.

"Please, don't make me do this," Andrew murmured, realising what was supposed to happen today.

_'You would be wise to obey us today. We will withhold food from you next if you do not obey, and we're sure that's more important to you than dirty sexual pleasure,'_ the voice said nastily.

Andrew whimpered quietly, silently agreeing with the voice. He may have shit food, but he'd rather that than nothing at all. He let go and the madness took over again, resigning himself to the voice's commands.

_'But we are also benevolent. It is clear you need another day to prepare yourself for what is to come. Eat and wash. We will tell you what to do after that,'_ the voice said.

Andrew didn't bother replying. He got up wearily and went to eat what amounted to breakfast before making his way down the long corridors towards the showers again. He discovered a makeshift toilet this time, saving him from going in some old bucket he'd found on his last exploration. Stripping off, he coaxed the shower into working again and washed happily under the lukewarm water. Sure, it wasn't the most ideal shower in the world, but it was better than nothing. Andrew found it remarkably peaceful, considering the circumstances.

Once dressed, he headed back to his room to wait and find out what the voice had in store for him. He sat on his bed, wondering what 'preparing himself for what is to come' will entail.

_'Take the winged one. Take him to the dungeon. We will teach you what you must do,'_ the voice said.

Andrew sighed as he got up. He walked through the corridors to the cavern where Chris and Craig were. Kneeling in front of the cage, he glanced at them reluctantly before opening the cage and pulling Craig out, badly catching his wings on the bars, causing Craig to cry out with pain and try and manoeuvre his wings out without hurting them (or Chris) too much.

Wordlessly, Andrew led Craig to the dungeon he'd prepared earlier at the voice's insistence. Inside, he wanted to run away and take Craig with him, but the voice was in control and there was no disobedience now.

"Wait there," Andrew said as he left Craig standing in the middle of the dungeon.

Andrew surveyed the weapons on the bench in front of him, keeping his back turned to Craig. He didn't need to look to know that Craig wouldn't escape, even though he was much stronger than Andrew and could fight him off easily. Something else was making him stay, and Andrew figured it was Chris. Maybe he didn't want to see him harmed. Maybe he did love him after all. Andrew was almost right. Craig didn't try and escape because Andrew was his friend, and Craig was determined they were all going to get out of this alive and not end up dead, injured or arrested.

Andrew rested a hand over one of the knife blades. All the memories he'd suppressed from his military days were making themselves known at the edge of his conscious mind, almost daring him to pretend he didn't know what he was capable of. He was in a situation that was both utterly familiar and dangerously foreign that Andrew had no idea what he would do. He closed his eyes tightly as he remembered the last prisoner he'd tortured. He couldn't even remember his name now, but he'd been a Kiwi soldier. He'd been ordered to interrogate him and find out where one of their weapons caches was. The poor boy barely lasted twenty minutes before he was saying whatever Andrew wanted him to say. In the end, he'd been executed and his information rendered invalid. Andrew barely grieved, until now.

"He was only seventeen. What the hell did he do to deserve that?" Andrew whispered. He fought back the tears that wanted to flow. He was made of stronger stuff. Falling to pieces in front of Craig would do him no good at all.

_'Whip him. Confiscate the canary's clothes and beat it. It doesn't deserve such human things,'_ the voice said, quickly dehumanising the fullwing standing in the middle of the room, wings blazing behind him at their full span, finally free of the tiny confines of the cage.

Spurred out of his memories and his grief and back to obeying the voice, Andrew grabbed one of the whips off the table and turned to face Craig again. "Strip."

Craig merely looked at him and raised his still-bound wrists, trying to plead for some sort of sympathy.

Andrew glared at him and reluctantly unbound his wrists. He cracked the whip at Craig's feet to make him hurry up. "Strip! Don't touch the gag."

Craig obeyed, carefully undressing before Andrew. He wasn't in a position to care about being seen naked. He left the gag in place, wondering how soon it would be before that whip hit his skin.

Andrew pressed against Craig, whip trailing on the ground as it was held loosely in one hand. Andrew brushed a finger down Craig's jaw line gently.

"Such a beautiful creature. Such a shame we have to hurt you," Andrew said nastily.

Craig swallowed as Andrew pushed him back. Another crack of the whip made Craig stop. Andrew held the whip in his mouth while he secured Craig's wrists to shackles hanging from the ceiling. Craig stood there, unable to escape, head bowed. He knew what was to come. He knew how much it would hurt. He didn't see the point in fighting it. If he gave in, maybe Andrew'd get bored with him sooner.

Andrew was unnerved at his silent acceptance. He had hoped he might struggle a bit. Annoyed, he brings the whip down against his stomach, watching the whip wrap around his body. Craig lifted his wings out of the way to avoid his feathers getting caught in the tangle. He inhaled sharply as the pain struck. It made a burning line all around his middle. He may as well have been cut in two for all the pain that was biting into him.

The whip retrieved and hanging loosely by his side again, Andrew watched Craig for signs of resistance. Seeing none only made him angrier. He whipped his body again, trying to get a reaction out of him. Again, Craig remained unnerved.

Dropping the whip, Andrew pressed against him, gently running a finger along the red welts striping across his belly, hoping for some kind of reaction. Craig inhaled sharply but that was all. Andrew moved his hand lower, gently taking his cock in his hand as he began stroking him, hoping to arouse him.

That Craig was unable to resist for long. Soon he was mewling urgently, his cock hard and thick in Andrew's hand, unable to stop himself giving into him at last. He threw his head back as Andrew reached down further between his legs, finger teasing his hole mercilessly. Craig growled in frustration as best he could as Andrew stood there grinning nastily, pleased that he'd found something that worked. Andrew pulled away, hand still stroking him. He let go at last as he stood there.

"I think we found ourselves something that works," Andrew said, unbuckling his jeans and stepping out of them. He threw off his shirt and stalked around behind Craig, leaning against him, his own erection pressing into Craig's arse as a hand slipped around the front to continue stroking him. It helped that it wasn't something that involved causing Craig physical harm.

Craig swallowed, utterly turned on by Andrew's actions. Andrew's hands were doing distracting things, tracing patterns on his sensitive skin, ghosting across the welts, causing Craig to shiver.

"Want me to fuck you?" Andrew whispered harshly into Craig's ear.

Craig groaned as he grew harder at the suggestion, well aware of how hard Andrew was. He nodded his head a little too enthusiastically.

"Want me to fuck you," Andrew pulled back, ready to push forward and inside him, "real hard? How badly do you want it, bitch?" Andrew purred.

Craig was at the point of frustration now, trying to encourage Andrew to thrust inside and get it over with. He had no answer to Andrew's questions.

Andrew sensed his frustration and moved in front of him again, kneeling at his feet. Looking up at him as he gently stroked him, Andrew slowly began sucking him, taking in as much as possible, loving the sound of desperation Craig made at his teasing. A malicious hunger had taken over Andrew's mind now, spurring him on as he made Craig as sexually frustrated as possible.

In spite of his obedience to the voice in his head, Andrew kept on resisting the urge to fall back into his interrogator mindset. The voice wasn't able to turn Craig into a faceless prisoner and that kept Andrew from hurting him. Indeed, not even the voice goading him could make Andrew actually have sex with him, even as he was standing behind him, ready to push forward. Andrew refused resolutely. He knew what Craig had gone through when he'd been tortured and he was not going to stoop to rape. It was a barrier he would not cross. He knew it would cause more trauma than he was willing to bear responsibility for.

Andrew was knocked to the ground as a wave of nausea hit. His defiance was not to be tolerated. Craig turned his head as best he could to see if he was okay. He would cry out, but he was still gagged. He tugged on the chains, testing their strength. Andrew was curled up in pain, clearly fighting some invisible enemy. Craig wasn't sure he could take this much longer. He tugged on the chains again, wondering if he yanked hard enough, they would break. He kept glancing at Andrew. His suffering was breaking his heart. Craig didn't like that this thing that was controlling him was hurting him. It wasn't right.

Craig figured he had to use all his strength left to break the chains holding him to the ceiling. They were rusty and old. Perhaps they wouldn't be so hard to break. He concentrated hard, trying to muster what energy he had left. With a cry of pain, Craig yanked down on the chains, trying to snap them. With his wings, he managed to break them, and the iron crumbled under his efforts. Craig fell forward as he was freed. He flung the gag off and hurried to Andrew's side. He brought him into his arms, hoping he was alright.

"Andrew? Shit, come on, man, you gotta fight it. Be strong for me. Don't let it fuckin' win, whatever it is," Craig muttered.

Andrew curled up again, his body wracked with pain. The voice was very angry now. Its plans were not going ahead as it requested. Andrew was actually afraid he was about to die. Would the voice really kill him over this? No, he didn't regret anything. He would not hurt Craig, not like that.

Craig could do nothing but hold him and hope he didn't lose. It wasn't the sort of battle Craig could even fight for him. Craig panicked when Andrew went limp and lost consciousness. Craig picked him up and headed off to find a bed. He had to get him comfortable and then he'd free Chris and then they'd fuckin' get out of here. No way were they staying here, not with Andrew like this.


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Craig takes charge as he starts the journey back home with Chris and Andrew, while Charles and Caleb close in at last. Andrew, lost in his mind and unaware of what's going on around him, fights for his life.

Craig wandered through the corridors until he found a room with a bed and gently lay Andrew down on it. He was unconscious, though his body was shaking erratically and his lips whispering soft pleas for mercy. There was a moment of hesitation. Craig didn't want to leave him, not in that state. Andrew clasped onto Craig's wrist, groping blindly for anything to help him fight. Craig knelt beside him, staying close.

"You'll be okay, Andrew. We'll get you out of here. Just hang on, okay?" Craig whispered, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

Craig couldn't hear Andrew's reply. Craig held him close. There was no way in hell he was letting Andrew die. Not now. Not after everything they'd been through.

"Just... hang on. I'm going to get Chris and we'll get out of here, okay? We'll go home to Charles and make you better and then everything will be okay, you hear me?" Craig said.

Andrew appeared to relax somewhat at the mention of being with Charles again. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Craig got to his feet and left Andrew where he was. He had to get Chris out and then they could leave.

* * *

All Andrew could see was black. Then the swirls of colour came. The voice returned, berating him for his disobedience. Andrew had never seen them so angry. The pain flooding his body was far too intense. He'd never felt pain like that before. He was certain he was about to die.

_'Filthy human! You dare defy us? You shall die like you should've done earlier. Our time of mercy is long gone,'_ the voice said. It hissed in his ears, its displeasure perfectly clear.

_I couldn't do it. Not to Craig. I just - you can't make me do that_, Andrew replied, left with his thoughts as he was unable to speak aloud.

_'You betray your true nature. You were the best interrogator in the armed forces. His torture should've been second-nature to you,'_ the voice said.

_I didn't even want to be in the armed forces! I wanted to stay in school, not run off and be trained to kill and obey the call of my nation. I didn't want any of this_, Andrew said.

_'It was the only time you were ever important. Remember the praise they showered on you? You were an obedient soldier, just like you were supposed to obey us. Your failure will not be tolerated any longer,'_ the voice said.

Andrew's body was paralysed by the pain. He uttered a choking scream, fingers grasping the air. And then the angels came.

Andrew could never remember if he had imagined them or not. All he remembered was a bright white light and the feeling of white hot feathers against his skin. The voice screeched in pain, lashing out at Andrew, at the intruders, anything that was trying to kill it. Andrew was knocked into a deep coma, his mind unable and unwilling to cope with what was happening to his body.

* * *

Craig hurried to where Chris was still huddled in the cage and yanked the door off its hinges. He was too desperate to get out of there. Chris looked shocked as he saw Craig standing there naked.

"I'm assuming you're going to tell me what's going on here," Chris said as he crawled out of the cage.

"Look, no time, just follow me," Craig said, grabbing his arm.

Chris didn't bother asking what was going on. Clearly, the situation had changed. Something must be wrong. Was Andrew okay? He didn't find out until Craig led him back to the bedroom where Andrew was still unconscious.

"Jesus Christ. What happened to him? Is he okay?" Chris said.

"I don't know, but no way are we staying here now. He needs help," Craig said. "Go grab what you can and let's get out of here."

"Right. Hey, wait, look at that, what's that behind him? It looks like wings," Chris said, noticing the pale translucent wings lying limp underneath him as they caught the light.

Craig stepped closer and looked at them. "Wings? Where did he get them?" He reached out a hand to touch them and noticed a flare of red light washing over them. "That's not normal."

"You're telling me. Should we move him still?" Chris said.

"Of course we have to move him. He's not staying here like this. Go get whatever you can salvage and let's get out of here," Craig said. He knelt beside the bed and gently picked him up.

Andrew was settled in the back of the truck with Chris, while Craig went back for his clothes. (It hadn't been a concern, not while Andrew was in trouble.) _Well, of course it wasn't a concern. Andrew's unconscious. I rather think he was in more need of my attention than whether or not my beautiful body was clothed or not._ Thanks for that delightful insight, Craig. _You underestimate my ability to be awesome._ Bloody canary.

Taking a few of the weapons Andrew had initially brought in case they needed them, Craig revved up the truck and drove off into the night. Seeing his surroundings, he had some idea of where they were and how to get back. That Andrew had been stupid enough to leave a marked map on the seat beside him also helped. Craig would make sure they got back so that Andrew could get some help. Then everything would be okay.

* * *

Instinct had sent Charles and Caleb down a long road towards a quarry. An old map they'd found in the abandoned pub had marked it as an old Army base, which matched what the man at the servo had told them. There were many quarries out this way, and many roads of similar length, but few led to old Army bases. With a feeling he was getting close to finding them, they sped down that road, hoping they were in time to save them.

* * *

Andrew wasn't aware of his surroundings. He wasn't even sure what had happened to him. All he knew was that he was still unconscious, but there was a fire in his back and his head was filled with song. The voice was nowhere to be felt or heard. Even if he had been awake, his brain wouldn't have lasted long. The intense pain it had had to endure had left it exhausted and in need of rest.

Sitting in the back of the truck, Chris held him gently, cradling his head in his lap. Something felt different about him, but Chris had no idea what. He was just glad he was alive, at least for the moment.

"-'zai," Andrew breathed. He didn't know what the word meant, just that it was a name. His name. He was dreaming of fire and flame and destruction now. A golden sword filled his vision, a sword he knew he would have. He would bring them all down and God would feel his vengeance.

Chris squeezed his hand gently, hoping he would be okay. "How far have we got to go?" he said, looking at Craig.

"Fucked if I know. Map just says this road goes for miles. I'm assuming this will lead to sealed road that will take us back to the city, but don't quote me on that until we actually find a sealed road. How's he doing?" Craig said.

"Still out, but it doesn't seem as deep as it was. Maybe he's waking up," Chris said.

"Keep an eye on him. If he does wake, don't let him do anything, you know, drastic," Craig said. He'd restrain him if he needed to, but he very much didn't want to resort to tying him up.

"I'll do my best. Let me know if you want me to drive at all," Chris said.

"Nah, I'm built for endurance. This is nothing. We'll be home soon enough," Craig said.

"You know if we get stopped, those wings of yours will be a dead give away, yes?" Chris said.

"And that's the point at which you drive and I fly on ahead to avoid being captured. That's why we brought the weapons. We might need them. I mean, honestly, you were a soldier, weren't you? You should know this stuff," Craig said.

"I was a Reservist, not a full-time soldier. There's a difference," Chris said.

"Same difference. You wore that uniform and took the gun they gave you. Makes you a soldier to me. It's how you survive, when you're a fullwing. Anyone with a uniform is a soldier likely to arrest you, kill you, or torture you. You learn to be very cautious about anyone in uniform," Craig said.

"I joined you years ago. You still don't trust me?" Chris said, surprised by his words.

"I never said that. You're just looking or a reason to get angry," Craig said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Just leave it, Chris. Look after Andrew," Craig said.

Chris glanced down at Andrew then. He was still the same as he had been. Chris gently stroked his head, wondering what was going on in his mind.

* * *

Charles had been driving for nearly two hours when they saw another truck approaching at incredible speed. There was a cloud of dust billowing behind it. The road was suddenly frighteningly narrow.

"We gotta pull over. There's no way that road is taking us both," Charles said.

"Oh, shit, that's them. That's the truck we've been searching for. We have to stop them," Caleb said, catching the number on the plates.

"You serious? Shit. Well, stop them already!" Charles said.

"I'm not the one driving, Charles!" Caleb said.

"Just - shut up and let me concentrate," Charles said.

Charles had never been good at this sort of driving, but there was no chance to back out now. Mustering all his skill, he managed to pull off a manoeuvre that would've got him praise had he still been in the Army. Their truck came to a screeching halt, their truck now lying across the road, blocking the approaching truck from passing.

If the sides of the road hadn't been such soft sand, and had he not had precious Andrew as cargo, Craig felt he would've taken the truck off-road and gone around the sudden obstacle. However, there wasn't room and Craig didn't want to shock Andrew, so he stopped the truck as best he could before he slammed into it. It would be right that they'd get stopped just as they're trying to escape. A soldier got out and made his way over to them.

"What do we do?" Craig said.

"See who it is first before panicking," Chris said.

Charles was out of the truck as soon as the other had stopped. He didn't want to waste any more time if it really was them. He ran to the truck and was relieved to see Craig in the driver's seat.

"Oh, there you are. We've been looking everywhere for you," Charles said.

"Jesus, Charles, you had me worried there for a moment," Craig said.

"Could say the same to you. Everyone okay?" Charles said.

"Andrew's not good. We need to get him back to base as soon as we can. Chris and I are fine though. Want us to follow you?" Craig said.

"No, get in the back of our truck. Word will have got out about the plates on that thing and that soldiers are looking for it. I'd rather not risk it now," Charles said.

"Wise move. Come on, Chris, you heard him. Get him out and in the back of their truck," Craig said.

Andrew had gone from unconscious to drowsy. He wasn't awake, not quite, but he was more aware of his surroundings than he had been before. He struggled as Chris and Craig carried him over to the other truck, but didn't wake enough to protest. Chris and Craig cradled him in the back, making sure he was okay. Once Charles had dealt with the other truck, they were ready to go.

"Right, let's get you guys home. Craig, I don't need to tell you to keep those wings hidden," Charles said as he climbed into the truck.

"No, you don't. Just drive, Caleb. Get us out of here. I'll tell you off for tagging along later," Craig said, only half serious.

"Please, I was more help than Charles is willing to admit," Caleb said, revving the engine. "And I'll get us home in one piece."

The truck lurched forward and managed to turn around. Facing down the road, Caleb drove off, taking them back home again. Quietly, Craig was thrilled he was there. He had missed him greatly, but he wouldn't admit it. He had to keep some semblance of authority over his young boyfriend.

* * *

Charles didn't want to stop. He was too impatient to get home, now that they had found them. It was Chris' pleading for a rest so they could take a proper look at Andrew that got to him. Reluctantly, Charles stopped at the next town they found that had a motel. They bought a room and finally had time to rest. Chris got Andrew comfortable on one of the beds while Craig and Caleb finally had time to catch up. Charles got his phone out to call Julian. He felt it time he checked in.

"Hey, Jules, I got them," Charles said.

"You found them? That's great. Are they hurt at all?" Julian said.

"Andrew's not looking good. He's not unconscious anymore, but he's still out of it. We're staying overnight to see how he fairs. I haven't had a chance to ask what happened yet," Charles said.

"Let me know as soon as possible. How long til you get back here?" Julian said.

"Late tomorrow? Depends on how Andrew is. If he gets worse, well, we might be on our own. If that happens, I'll let you know. We might have to take him in to the city," Charles said.

"Okay, don't bring any unwanted attention onto yourselves, and get back in one piece, okay? Be aware that the heightened security is being stepped up everywhere, not just in the city areas. You may find it harder to get back. Try and avoid checkpoints as much as possible. Use the back routes when you can. I do not want you guys getting caught up in this, alright?" Julian said.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what I was planning. I'll be changing the plates to ensure we don't rouse suspicion. I saw a couple of old trucks on the way here that I'll stick the old plates on, give the impression we ended up there instead and never got as far as the quarry. And yes, we cleaned out the caves so it looks like we were never there," Charles said.

"Excellent work. I figured you'd be aware of covering your tracks. I'll leave you to it then," Julian said and hung up.

Charles set the phone down and glanced over at Andrew. "Either of you know what happened to him?"

"I don't know. One minute he was, you know, being all aggressive, the next, he's on the floor, writhing in pain. I couldn't tell you what was going on. I broke free from the chains so I could see if he was okay. That's when I decided to bail. He wasn't this awake then. I don't know when he got those wings either. But something was going on inside his head. That's all I can get," Craig said.

"Shit. That is so not good. Well, I suppose we'll just have to see if he wakes and if he turns out to be okay. We'll see how he is tomorrow," Charles said.

Chris lay next to Andrew and brushed a thumb across his limp hand. Andrew had to be okay. Chris wouldn't let him stay this way forever.

* * *

Finally out of the truck and lying on a bed, Andrew settled into a light sleep. Chris kept close, his arms around him. He marvelled at his wings. They were warm and soft and felt like air. Chris could slip his fingers through them. He whispered to Andrew as he slept, urging him to wake at last.

Andrew heard him, and Andrew wanted to wake, but the pull of dreaming was too strong and Andrew fell, sinking into his unconsciousness, drawn by the heat and light and angelic song he remembered hearing before.

_Andrew saw nothing but shining light and the faintest hints of wings and pale arms reaching out towards him. There was music all around him, the tune unknown and unrecognisable. The pale arms brought him towards them, embracing him with warmth and love. He had no idea where he was, he couldn't make out his surroundings, the bright light stopped him seeing anything. He wondered morbidly if they were taking his soul and this was his death._

_"Azai, you live again. Come to us. We must explain your task," one of the voices said, urging Andrew to approach._

_Andrew walked forward - if he could be seen to be walking on whatever it was that was below him towards whatever it was in front of him - and looked upwards, trying to see the beings that surrounded him. He couldn't make out anything. No faces, wings, bodies, nothing. He was in the company of invisible voices._

_He glanced down, noticing his belt had become heavier. There was a sword attached to his belt now. It felt comforting, as if he knew it should be there. The sword at his side began vibrating and glowing as Andrew approached the beings of light. It hummed with life, with song, proving it to be a weapon of great power if wielded properly. Andrew knew when to stop as he was forced to his knees, hand grabbing for the sword. He unsheathed the sword and lay it before him. It floated in the air before him, humming quietly._

_"You have a special task, Azai. Do you understand this?" another voice said._

_"I suppose so, yeah," Andrew said, although aware there was something else influencing his responses. He could sort of feel another presence inside him, but he had no idea what it was._

_"What needs to be done cannot be done by anyone else. They would all be massacred. That is why you do what you do to protect them, to save them dying. See this and remember this. You must destroy it or everything will be lost for good. This time you will remember! But be warned. Do not tell anyone what you are doing. This is just between us and you. You have been blessed. Do not ruin it," the voice said._

_"You know, it's really not that comforting when you say I'm the only one who can do this. I mean, look at me! I'm not a warrior. I'm a tiny fragile man who bruises himself just getting up every morning. If you're after a strong warrior, you've picked the wrong person," Andrew said, fighting against the other presence influencing him in order to speak._

_"You are stronger than you think. How else did you manage to stay free from the voice? It takes a very strong will to fight against that kind of brainwashing. You could've chosen the easy route and given in to it, but instead you chose the path of rebellion and fought it, verging on madness in a bid to survive. You proved to us how strong you are. That is why you were chosen," a third voice said._

_"So I have no choice in the matter? There's no way I can stop it now?" Andrew said._

_"What's done is done. Azai lives in you. He will teach you what you need to know. This is what we need you to do. This place, this thing, it cannot survive. Your rebellion will be for nothing if it still stands," the second voice said._

_Andrew looked around as the scenery shifted from white light to a Government facility he recognised instantly. "No, no, not this place. It still stands? After all these years? No way. I'm not going back there," he said. He backed away from it, even though he wasn't actually there._

_"You will go back there. You must. Only you know how to destroy it," the second voice said._

_"I am not going back there and that's final. Find someone else to do your dirty work," Andrew said, turning to leave._

A hand reached out towards him and pulled him back. "You cannot leave. You will do as we say. Surely you would want to destroy the place that still haunts your nightmares?" the second voice said.

_"No. I-I can't do it. It's too hard. I'm not going back there," Andrew said._

_"You must. You must! Azai, you must confront your fears! It will need to be destroyed. Take pleasure in it, since it has scarred you so," the third voice said._

_"I... I can't physically go anywhere near that place. It just... the memories are too strong. I can't go back," Andrew said._

_"You will go back. You must. If you want your rebellion to succeed, you must destroy it. It holds dark horrors not meant to be seen that cannot be allowed to live and escape. You must destroy that place and all who dwell in it, for the sake of us all," the third voice said._

_"You want me to kill? You want me to kill innocent people? There are still people kept in there? You're asking me to do too much. I can't kill. I just - can't. I won't do it," Andrew said, suddenly feeling quite ill._

_"A few lives for the good of the nation. It must be done. You expect this rebellion to be blood-free? No, people will die, your own people will die. It is inevitable. You have no choice but to do as we say. As long as that place still stands, you will never succeed," the first voice said._

_Andrew's knees collapsed under him, and he knelt on the ground, trying not to be sick. This may be the one thing he can't do. "I... I can't. Please. Anyone else could do this, but not me. I'd rather kill myself than do this," he said, fighting back the nausea._

_"The people kept there now are beyond help. If you would go and see them, you would understand why we ask you to do this. Your father misses you. He wishes to see you again. Surely you can do that before you set your rebellion in motion," a fourth voice said._

_"I have no father. He voided that when he turned on my mother. I have never forgiven him for that betrayal. I will not see him again. If he's still there, back at that place, so be it. Maybe I will destroy it after all, if only to rid myself of that traitor," Andrew said, suddenly angry._

_"Time has changed him, Azai. He regrets what he did to chase you away. Go and see him before he dies," the second voice said._

_"I have no father," Andrew said through gritted teeth._

_"Go and see him," the second voice urges._

(The narrator wishes to object to this sudden and unwanted subplot that will inevitably lengthen the time it takes to get to the ending at long last) _Shut it already. At least it's getting somewhere._ Fuck off, Craig. _Hey, didn't you want me to bring the snarky comments back? Make up your mind, silly narrator._ At least you're here. I hope you're going to cooperate. _I'm always cooperative._ Yeah, sure you are.

_"I don't want to go see him. He doesn't even exist to me," Andrew said, growing tired of their insistence, and possibly the narrator rudely interrupting the scene to bitch with Craig._

_"You will go see him, Azai. Enough questions. Do as we say. There is no other choice," the third voice said._

_Andrew sighed. He could sense he was fighting a losing battle. "Alright, alright, I'll go see my father. But don't expect me to be civil to him. Can I go now?" Andrew said impatiently._

_"Such impertinence. Get out of our sight before we change our minds," the first voice said._

_Andrew got to his feet and grabbed the sword, carefully sliding it into its sheath again. Andrew got the distinct impression he was being glared at as the beings of light left, leaving him alone in the darkness again, shivering in Chris' arms._

* * *

It was early morning by the time Andrew opened his eyes. He was tired, but lacked any desire to sleep. He looked around him. Everyone else was asleep. Chris had even succumbed to sleep as he watched over Andrew. Andrew slipped free from his arms and stood up. He was hungry, and somewhat sick of lying down. He went into the bathroom. It was then that he noticed the wings, and the heavy sword at his side.

"What the-? Where did they come from?" he murmured.

As if knowing he was talking about them, the wings burned brightly and fluttered behind him. It took him little time to work out he could control them and how to do so.

"I must still be dreaming. No one has wings like this."

He flapped them hard. There was a gust of hot air behind him, and he could've sworn he was lifted off the ground, even a little bit. Those wings were more powerful than he had first thought. He unsheathed the sword and looked at the intricate carvings on the blade. He could feel its power. He slipped it back into its sheath and straightened. Perhaps it had been the darkness that had stopped him noticing he didn't exactly have the same hair he had run away with. It was bright blue and purple and was a little longer than it should be.

"I'm beginning to feel like I'm never going to be free from invisible voices," Andrew said.

He sighed. He remembered the mission the dream had charged him with. He would go now, but he didn't think the others would appreciate that. He wanted time to sort out what had happened first. The time wasn't right, but soon, soon he would go and destroy that place and finally wipe it out of existence because, as the dream had reminded him, he still had nightmares about it.

He was sure Charles would've noticed, but Andrew had more than enough trauma from war to mask the silly bad memories of a psych hospital gone wrong, and the madness of his father. Andrew had used war as an excuse far too often to mask what he'd really been dreaming about, and Charles was in no position to distinguish truth from lies. Charles understood war, just like he did.

His decision made, he crawled back in bed with Chris and settled down to rest. He wasn't tired, but he knew Chris would be worried if he wasn't there when he woke. A hand rested on the sword at his side, trying to comprehend the task he'd been given.

* * *

Andrew was perfectly content in the morning by the time everyone else was waking. He lay there, basking in the warmth from the sun and his wings. It was going to be a good day. He could feel power flowing through his veins. He had done a lot of thinking over the last few hours and he'd begun to see how he'd changed. One of the ways he'd changed was that he appeared to have some sort of magic. He kept this to himself, however, not wishing to raise suspicions.

Chris was pleasantly surprised to find Andrew awake. It was comforting. Everything would be okay now. He turned and took his hand, curling up close to him.

"Hey, nice to see you awake. You okay?" Chris said softly.

"Yeah, I'll live. I'm a resilient little bastard," Andrew said with a grin.

"We're heading home, okay? Charles and Caleb found us," Chris said.

"Oh, that'll be nice. I miss having a comfortable bed to sleep in," Andrew said.

Chris closed his eyes as he leant against him. He'd missed him. But Andrew was back, he was okay. Things would be okay from now on. Andrew held him loosely, not wishing to be apart from him.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking," Andrew murmured after a while.

"It's okay. It's not your fault," Chris said.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Andrew said.

"No, we're fine. You're safe now, that's all that matters," Chris said.

Andrew smiled. Chris kissed him gently and smiled back.

"Nice hair," Chris said, running a hand through it.

"Don't ask. I don't even know where it came from," Andrew said.

"It's hair, Hansen. I think it's safe to say it came out of your scalp," Chris said.

"Thank you for that, Doctor Taylor," Andrew said. "Hey, feel like a shower? I feel like I haven't had a wash in a week."

"Speak for yourself. Come on then, we'll see how good this one is," Chris said.

Quietly, since Charles, Caleb and Craig were still asleep, they made their way to the bathroom and shut the door, hoping the shower worked and produced hot water. They were in luck. They undressed and eagerly got under the water, holding each other close. Andrew's wings became almost completely transparent and shook themselves occasionally to avoid getting water clogged in them.

"Do you remember much about what happened?" Chris asked.

"Some of it. It's in bits and pieces. I figure it's probably for the best. I'm not sure I want to remember that stuff," Andrew said.

"Fair enough. I'll stop talking about it, okay?" Chris said.

"That's very generous of you," Andrew said.

Chris kissed him slowly, savouring the time they had to themselves. It felt wonderful to be able to be close to him again without the threat of violence or being locked in a cage hanging over his head. Andrew was still fragile, but at least he was alive.


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles finally arrives back at the new haven with Andrew and the others. Andrew has to deal with what he's been told to do and what he wants to tell Julian before Seb spurs Andrew into action once more.

Once Charles was awake and had made sure Andrew was fit to travel, they didn't spend much longer at the motel. Charles was anxious to get home, and so was Andrew to some extent. Charles had a feeling if they didn't go now, while the city was still waking up, there would be too many soldiers around for them to get through without being caught. After a call to Julian to tell him they were on their way, they set off, stopping to change the plates on the truck and pick up some breakfast.

Chris and Andrew sat in the front, talking about everything but what had happened, while Caleb and Craig were hiding in the back, partly so Craig's wings were easier to hide, and partly so they could maul each other without disturbing the others. Charles drove, praying desperately for a clean run and no cops to stop them. He wouldn't relax until they'd arrived back at the township in one piece. It was all he cared about now that he'd found Andrew, Chris and Craig.

* * *

Julian was so glad to hear they were okay. He hadn't slept well the night before. But they were coming home now. He drank his coffee with relief. Now they could properly focus on the rebellion.

He took another look at the plans before him. Their attack would be a huge operation. It had to be right. There was no room for error, not with so many soldiers and vehicles in need of organising. He'd just had word from their groups up north that they'd acquired some fighter jets and tanks through capturing a small isolated military base and wanted to know how they should be used.

Julian wasn't thrilled at the prospect of having to reorganise everything. There were only so many places jets and tanks could be utilised, especially if they were coming from the north. He gazed at the map before him and took in where all the bases and targets they'd selected were and whether the new forces could be deployed to take out any of them.

There. A small base settlement just on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. It was almost a direct path from the rebel base in question. They'd already assigned two artillery groups to that section; they were to take out the main base infrastructure to allow the ground troops an easier time at defeating them. The addition of the new fighter jets brought the number of planes they had to 80. They were in squadrons of five to best maximise their use across the country. It wasn't ideal, and larger squads would be better, but the rebels only had so many planes and had to use them in the best way possible. No one had dared factor in any vehicles or planes they would capture during battle, mostly because they had no idea if they would even manage that. Their overall plan was a swift-moving force that didn't stop for anyone. Swift and decisive, that's what they wanted to be. Adam didn't want them to lose the initiative. The State must always be kept on the defensive.

Julian sighed. He'd been doing this all day. It was supposed to be a distraction to stop him thinking about Andrew, but it did the opposite. He kept tracing roads with his finger, wondering if that was where they were and if that was the way they were coming home.

Chas arrived back from scouting around lunchtime and found Julian sitting at his desk looking miserable. Julian looked up as he saw him enter, pleased for yet another distraction.

"They're coming back today, yes? So why are you looking so miserable?" Chas said.

"Still worried about Andrew. I mean, sure, Charles said he was fine and I believe him, but I'm not so sure he's going to be well enough to fight," Julian said.

"What happened to him was not your fault, Julian. Now, are you gonna cheer up? Just bumped into Adam, he wants a word over lunch," Chas said.

"Oh, right, sure. Well, better not keep him waiting," Julian said, getting to his feet.

"Good man," Chas said.

Arm in arm, they headed off to the mess to find Adam. Julian put his worries about Andrew aside. There would be time to fuss over him when they arrived. There were other more important things that needed his attention then.

* * *

Adam was eating with Tim when Julian and Chas found them. Chas offered to get food so Julian sat down and waited.

"Apparently you wanted to see me?" Julian said.

"Yeah, wanted to discuss Andrew. Look, I know he's not back yet and we don't know his condition, but I'm concerned about him. We don't know what they did to him when they arrested him before. What if he's spying for them? How can we be sure our security's still safe?" Adam said.

"Much as I hate to admit it, I've had similar thoughts, myself. Him running off with Craig and Chris like that has me suspicious. I don't think it was his decision to do that, though. I think there were other forces at play. But I just can't see any reason behind that than to enable the State to capture rebels and torture them. I'd rather we didn't make any assumptions until we've heard the full story from them though. Us speculating over roast beef achieves nothing," Julian said.

"It's not even good roast beef, man. Look at this shit. I've eaten better roadkill," Chas said, taking a seat next to Julian as he brought them dinner.

"In the current situation, I hardly think we're in any position to complain, Chassy. Just eat it," Julian said.

"This is the downside of relying on capturing supply trucks. Then there are few around, we don't eat well. I've had a few reports that most are heading to Army bases in secret. That means one thing only: that they're getting ready to launch some sort of full-scale attack. All that food is going to feed the soldiers. The convoys are also taking different routes each time, so we can't even lie in wait anymore. We're doing the best we can," Adam said.

"And, of course, we can't just start stealing from the people. That would do us no favours. What should we do then?" Julian said. He crinkled his nose up as he took a bite of the beef. It was tough and dry.

"I've got scouts looking for warehouses. The food has to come from somewhere. If we can locate those, it might be easier to track the trucks and ambush them. Got a couple of tentative locations, but nothing confirmed yet," Adam said.

"And in the meantime, make do with what we've got," Tim said.

"Indeed," Julian said.

"Do you think we should have let Andrew fight at all? We knew his history, and we still let him pick up a gun and fight," Julian said.

"I've wondered that since he joined us. I know he and Charles are damaged, they're not the only vets who are, but sometimes you need to trust people. Besides, they said they were fine, and neither showed any signs of distress, so I let it go," Adam said.

"Just like Craig, hey?" Julian said.

"Yeah, just like Craig," Adam said with a sigh.

"Jesus, Adam, don't look so defeated. What kind of soldiers did you expect this rebellion to have?" Chas said.

"You're right, of course. Though you can hardly say the State soldiers are any saner. What a waste of humanity," Adam said.

There were murmurs of agreement from the others. They were reminded of their own scars. Rebels they might be, but society had left them broken and needed to be reminded of that every so often. Occasionally Adam doubted the sense in sending damaged soldiers into war, but what other option did they have left? It was fight or be slaughtered. Fighting was their last chance.

* * *

They'd hardly stopped all day. Charles was too scared to stop for more than ten minutes at a time. However, they'd made good progress and they were only an hour or so away from the township now, and the sun was getting lower in the sky. They had seen very few soldiers around; given Julian's warnings about increased security, Charles didn't like that at all. He was sure they were going to turn a corner and run into an ambush or something and get killed.

Then they did turn a corner and found an abandoned supply truck. The back doors were hanging open, showing them the food still in the back. Charles slowed the truck. It was a goldmine. That food would keep them going for a week at least. However, soldiers don't just abandon supply trucks. Maybe it was an ambush.

"I don't like this at all," Charles said.

"We need that food. Who cares if it's an ambush?" Chris said.

They pulled up alongside the truck. Peering inside, the two occupants had been slaughtered. Craig and Caleb had clambered out from the back to see what was going on.

"Oh, that's nasty. Who do you think did that then?" Craig said.

"Hard to tell. Could be anyone. Though why they left the food behind is anyone's guess," Chris said.

"Maybe they didn't know it was a supply truck. Maybe they thought it was just an Army truck. They do look the same," Charles said.

"Should we take the cargo then?" Craig said.

"Wait here," Charles said. "Caleb, grab a rifle and scout around. You guys stay here."

The street was quiet. Charles and Caleb, rifles clutched close and ready to fire if needed, looked around to see if there were any obvious hiding spots or tripwires. The landscape was flat and somewhat barren. It was farming country, so there was little in the way of bushland. There seemed to be no obvious places to hide.

"Maybe there's a bomb," Caleb said as they stood in front of the open doors, pondering the risks of taking what was in there.

"If there was, it should have blown by now. Those soldiers have been dead at least a day. This isn't a road with a lot of traffic. If there had been a bomb, and someone else had come across it, it should've exploded by now. A bomb seems unlikely," Charles said.

"I reckon we should drive our truck out of the way and throw rocks at it to see if that triggers anything," Caleb said.

Charles stepped forward and pulled one of the doors open. Nothing happened. There was, however, another body in the back. Its mutilated skull screamed silently at them, soaked in blood. It hadn't been visible from the truck as they'd approached, hidden in the shadow of a shelf.

"Oh, Jesus Christ! Ugh. Maybe we should leave this. No idea how badly contaminated the food is," Charles said, holding an arm in front of his nose to protect against the sight.

"Good idea," Caleb said.

Charles pushed the door closed and they headed back to their truck. Perhaps it was best to leave it for now and just get back home again.

"So, verdict?" Craig said.

"Body in the back. I ain't touching any of that food. Let's get out of here," Charles said.

"Poor guys. What a way to die," Chris said, gazing over at the abandoned truck.

"Better them than us," Charles said. He revved the engine and drove off.

Just as the abandoned truck had almost disappeared from view, there was a huge explosion and a plume of fire. The truck was no more.

"Told you there was a bomb," Caleb said.

"Little shit. Good thing we left and didn't hang around," Charles said.

"Oh, come on. How obvious a trap was that? No way was there not going to be a bomb somewhere. Must've used motion sensor triggers or something to set it off when someone came to investigate it," Caleb said.

"Since when do you know so much about bombs?" Craig said, looking at Caleb.

"I once dated a Lieutenant-Colonel," Caleb said.

"Sure you did, you scamp," Craig said.

"Okay, so he was only a non-com Sergent, but whatever. He was in the Army at any rate. He was a good fuck. Taught me all about how to be a soldier in return for screwing his arse every day and spanking him. I've had worse relationships," Caleb said.

"I'll screw your arse when we get home, Caleb," Craig said.

"Not if I get there first," Caleb said.

"Will you two cut it out? Can't you think about something other than sex until we get back?" Charles said.

"Right, we know when we're not needed. Come on, Caleb," Craig said as he clambered into the back, grasping Caleb's wrists tightly.

* * *

They clambered back to where they had been and shut the others out. Spoilsports. The movement of the truck was strangely erotic now that they were alone. Craig lay on the floor, his back to the main cabin, while Caleb straddled him, pulling him into a kiss.

"God I missed you," Craig breathed.

"I missed you too. Are you really okay? It's not like you just went for a joyride into the bush," Caleb said.

"I've suffered worse. At least Andrew's okay," Craig said.

"Yeah, that's true. Just, you know, stop me if it's getting too hard, okay? Don't want to upset you any more than necessary," Caleb said.

"Thanks. Now are you gonna get naked or not, hmm?" Craig said, slipping his hands up Caleb's side. He was not prepared to admit how much he appreciated Caleb's concern. There were certain things a fullwing would never admit to, no matter how scarred they got.

* * *

They arrived back at the township late afternoon. Andrew had never been happier to be back. He was tired of being led around by voices and being totally out of control. He was trying to ignore his new mission. He had spent the journey pleading for some space to get his head straight before attending to their wishes while trying to convince Chris he was okay.

The truck pulled up outside the main building. It was quiet. Wearily, they left the truck and headed inside. It felt good to be out of the truck at last. Andrew was ready for a proper bed. He leaned on Chris as they went, not quite feeling up to walking by himself.

"Charles? Mind if I go lie down a while? Tell Julian I'll see him later," Andrew said.

"Sure. Go rest up. You deserve it," Charles said, squeezing his shoulder gently.

Andrew gave him a smile before he let Chris lead him off to their room. Charles watched them go. Craig gazed after them, wondering what was going on in Andrew's head.

"Well, go on. Don't let me keep you from your desire to fuck each other senseless," Charles said, noticing the way Craig was clutching Caleb's fingers.

"I was just seeing Andrew off. We're going now. You can handle Julian on your own," Craig said.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it," Charles said.

Alone in the corridor, he went to find Julian. Once he had done that, he could go sleep now that the ordeal was over. Back to worrying about the rebellion.

* * *

Back in their room, Andrew lay down gratefully, curling up as he settled at last. Chris sat on the bed next to him. That Andrew was clearly traumatised was of no surprise to anyone. Chris lay a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. Chris had no idea how long it would take for his mind to heal. Even he was beginning to doubt Andrew should be allowed to fight when the rebellion came.

"You okay?" Chris said softly.

"Glad to be home. Hold me?" Andrew said, looking up at him.

"Sure," Chris said, giving him a smile.

Chris lay down behind him and held him, dragging the blanket up to cover them both. Thank the Gods they were both safe and back home. That was all Chris cared about. Andrew closed his eyes and let himself sleep. He hoped he wouldn't dream. Dreaming had become exhausting and he wasn't sure he had the energy for that.

* * *

Charles headed straight for Julian's room, hoping to talk to him now that they'd arrived back. Julian was still pouring over the battle maps when Charles entered, shifting all the little units around like chess pieces or toy soldiers.

"I'm back, Jules. Miss me?" Charles said, coming in.

Julian looked up. "You took your time. How is he?"

"Sleeping, apparently. Chris took him to their room. I figured there was no point in rushing him," Charles said.

"Fair enough. He probably deserves it. I'll talk to him when he's feeling up to it. Anything else to report?" Julian said.

"Found an abandoned supply truck on one of the back roads. We would've salvaged it, but there were three mutilated soldiers in there, and it was rigged up to a bomb. No idea who did it though. The bomb exploded when we were far enough away to not get hit by it. Someone's been setting traps," Charles said.

"Shit. I'm glad you got away. I'll let the scouts know in case there are others out there," Julian said.

"Good idea. I mean, it looked like a one-off, but you can never be too careful," Charles said. "How's the plans going?"

"Don't ask," Julian said, scowling at the map.

"That bad, huh?" Charles said.

"It would be fine if the other groups stopped sending me notes telling them about new stuff they've captured. I have to keep reassigning everything to make sure we've got the best plan possible," Julian said.

"Shall I leave you to it then?" Charles said.

"Hmm," Julian murmured, shifting two groups as he tried to work out whether a particular base required more tanks than another.

"You do know that road has no troops on it, yes?" Charles said, pointing at a small road on the other side of a river that lead between a few bases.

"Ahh, shit! I didn't see that one. Fuck!" Julian cursed, moving north the group he had been trying to assign to a route further south.

Charles patted him on the head and left him to his planning. He decided it was time to eat and headed back to the mess to see what was on offer for dinner.

* * *

Andrew woke before dawn the next day. His sleep had been restless, but thankfully free from dreams. He was tired and wouldn't have minded a bit more sleep, but he couldn't quieten his mind enough and decided he might as well get up. Leaving Chris in bed, Andrew pulled on some clean clothes and headed out to wander around the town, looking for space to think. While he appreciated Chris' attentiveness, and would never tell him to stop, Chris didn't quite understand that what Andrew really wanted was time alone to think. Andrew wouldn't tell Chris anything until he'd had time to process it all for himself, and in order to do that, he needed to be alone.

The base was quiet. The few people awake were those on patrol and night watch. Wandering through the corridors helped. Moving helped him think. He did several laps of the main building, wandering every corridor he could find as quietly as possible before he decided to go outside. He passed Julian's office as he went and glanced inside. Julian was still awake, or had just woken up, and was glaring at the maps he'd been dealing with earlier. He looked up as he saw Andrew.

"Hey. There you are. You okay?" Julian said quietly. He got up and stretched.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Not tired enough to sleep. Brain won't shut up," Andrew said, leaning against the doorframe. "I was gonna go walk outside. Wanna come?"

Julian glanced out the window, catching the first glints of sunlight through the trees. "Yeah, sounds good," he said.

Julian grabbed a coat and followed Andrew outside, linking their arms together. The town was bathed in the silent stillness of pre-dawn, and there was an aching chill in the air that would only go away when the sun properly rose.

"I was hoping you were still awake, you know. I wanted to talk to you alone, you know, without Chris buzzing around my head," Andrew murmured.

"You caught me waking up. Can't even remember when I fell asleep. I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Julian said.

"I don't know. The voice is gone, though. I'm not trapped anymore. Truth be told, I don't really remember much of what happened. I figure that's probably for the best. I've got enough bad shit to deal with from the war. Don't need any more," Andrew said.

"I see you changed your hair," Julian said.

"Apparently so. I don't know how I got that either. Or the wings. I just remember waking up and they were there," Andrew said.

Julian glanced behind him to see the translucent wings fluttering softly against his back. "I'd consider yourself lucky, mate," Julian said.

"Yeah," Andrew said.

They walked in silence for some time until they found a small park. They took a seat on a nearby bench and watched the sun poking up from behind the trees. The play equipment was broken and the paint chipped to the point of obsession from the see saw, its wood flaking and warped over time.

"What is it you want to tell me?" Julian said.

"So many things. But I just-I can't-" Andrew paused. "Things aren't over, but just trust me. I'm not working against you."

"I never thought you were," Julian said.

"Yes, you did. So did Adam. But I don't blame you. I'd think that too. You know that raid at the warehouse? The old one? I called them. The voice told me to. I didn't dare disobey," Andrew said.

"It's okay. It's not your fault," Julian said.

"I know. I've killed a lot of people in my life. How did I let that happen?" Andrew said, stifling a laugh.

"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," Julian said.

"No, it won't. This'll go on for years. Plan for a long battle, rather than a short insurgence, and we'll be more likely to win," Andrew said.

"Already covered, but thanks for the advice," Julian said.

"Good. I didn't think you'd be that stupid. You know what war's like. It goes on and on and on and never really ends," Andrew said.

Andrew drew his knees up to his chest as he fought off the memories again. Ironically, the one memory he did have of the kidnapping ordeal was a memory from the New Zealand war, and that poor boy he'd almost killed-

"War is ghastly. I-I don't think I can fight again, Julian. I'm so sorry. I just can't," Andrew murmured.

"It's okay. I understand. I was thinking the same thing. I know what you went through," Julian said.

"I'll do anything, but don't make me fight. I don't think I'll be able to control myself again," Andrew said.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you," Julian said.

Andrew took a deep breath as Julian brought him into his arms. The dawn was making him feel particularly fragile, and his mind was battling to stay sane. Andrew wanted to speak, but something told him he'd said enough. He curled into Julian, thankful for his understanding.

* * *

The rebellion headquarters were a hive of activity a few hours later. Nowhere was this more prominent than in the war room, where Adam, Wil and the other senior rebels made ready their final plans for battle. The rest of the rebels trained and readied their weapons, preparing for the coming onslaught. Everyone would be valuable. No one was allowed to do nothing, not even Andrew.

After talking with Julian, they had returned to the mess hall for breakfast. They ate in silence. Julian headed off for meetings with Adam and the rest of the senior rebels while Andrew went to shower. Chris was long gone when he got back to their room. He'd left a note for Andrew, telling he was doing weapons stocktaking with Charles. Figuring he wouldn't be back for a while, Andrew changed his mind and got back into bed, wanting nothing more than to sleep. He was in no mood to socialise, not when he had fellow rebels giving him dirty looks. He closed his eyes and curled up, quickly falling asleep, and this time, he did dream.

_Andrew was in Sepulchre's shrine room, his translucent wings shimmering in the candlelight. He sat before the shrine, the strange sword he had acquired resting on the ground before him. He had his eyes closed as he concentrated, murmuring prayers he couldn't understand._

_"Azai," Seb said, appearing for the first time since they'd moved the safe haven. He rested a hand gently on his shoulder, pleased to see him._

_"Sepulchre," Andrew said, looking up at him. "You appear at last?"_

_"Things are important. It must be done. You require one final piece of knowledge before I can let you go," Seb said._

_"I'm all ears, Seb. What do I need to know?" Andrew said._

_"You must master the sword, or it will master you. Take it. Only when you learn its name will you be able to control it. You will only be allowed to ask it once. If you do not guess correctly, the sword will destroy you. I do not ask this of you lightly. But it must be done. You have two days. Return to me then when you are ready to answer the sword. As usual, do not speak a word of this to anyone. Reveal it and forfeit your life," Seb said._

_Andrew breathed deeply, taking in his words, a strange fiery light swirling around him._

_"Stand and face me. I must look upon your face again," Seb said._

_Andrew opened his eyes and stood up, turning around to face Seb, his wings gently waving behind him. Seb stood as he always did, bare chest tattooed with sacred marks. His wings were as great as ever and his bright green eyes conveyed that same deep wisdom that made him the legend that he was. He smiled down at him warmly, reaching out to rest his hands on his shoulders and bring him closer to him._

_"My little Andrew, this has not been easy for you, I know. My, you have grown so much. There are the growing seeds of wisdom in your eyes. You will be revered for this role you have been chosen to perform. You look glorious, radiant and shining. I'm so proud of how you've coped with all this. I wasn't sure how you'd deal with it after I'd picked you for this, but you've proved my decision right time and time again. You do shine with beautiful light, and you shine so brightly. If anyone can learn the name of that sword, you can," Seb said._

_"You're too kind to me. I'm not that special. I'm just doing what I have to do. Anyone could've done what I've done," Andrew said, shying away from praise._

_"You are humble, and yet you are great. No one else would've been right for this role. You do understand the gravity of what you must do?" Seb said._

_"I do, and I don't like that I'm the one who has to do this, but it must be so. I have wrestled with my conscience over this, it hasn't been easy to accept this, but there's no other choice. I'll do what I must," Andrew said._

_"And you will do it with beautiful light shining from your wings. Now, go, you are wasting valuable time. Be at peace with yourself and come into your full power," Seb said._

_"Later, Seb," Andrew said as Seb vanished into the air._

_With a smile, Andrew picked up the sword, bowed to the shrine and left the room, knowing he had to get this right or their whole rebellion would be at stake._

Andrew lay in bed, mumbling words in a language he could not speak, a hand clasped tightly around the sword hilt. He didn't notice Chris looking in on him. Chris stood in the doorway, peering through the crack in the door, as the sword glowed and Andrew murmured. Afraid of the strange feeling the room had acquired, Chris shut the door and left him alone.

* * *

When Andrew opened his eyes again, it was night time. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ready to get up. The sword was humming, and one single word was etched into his mind, the strange pronunciation not so strange now. Had he found it?

Andrew had breathed the word before he could stop himself, the letters rolling off his tongue as if they were meant to do so. The effect was instantaneous. The sword came to life and Andrew knew he'd got it right. The sword fitted into his hand and claimed him. He could suddenly see the great power the sword possessed, and what he would have to do with it to secure the country's freedom. It shocked him. It showed him both terrible suffering and righteous victory. Andrew's wings glowed bright again for the first time since he'd left the caves.

He stood up, clutching the sword firmly. He knew what he had to do.


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andrew disappears again to begin his secret mission. As Chris tries to find him, he and the other rebels realise they have little time left to begin their rebellion.

Andrew didn't bother looking back as he left the main building. He didn't care any more. If he was going to destroy that place that still haunted him, he needed to do it on his own and not with the others interfering. Andrew didn't bother stealing a truck this time. He spread his wings of light and soared into the air, ecstatic at feeling the sensation of flying for the first time. He was pleasantly surprised at how instinctive flying was, as if along with the wings burning their way into his back, they also rewired his body to give him the ability to fly. That was a most excellent achievement. His wings beat soundlessly, carrying him through the air as if he weighed nothing. Indeed, Andrew was quite sure there was magic involved. His wings were nothing like the other fullwings. No one could explain them away, and Andrew was refusing to tell how he'd got them.

Andrew scanned the ground beneath him to keep him on track, following the roads to the place he hadn't visited for 14 years. It was dark still, the buildings cold and lifeless. It was hard to imagine people still lived here, given the state of the place. It looked abandoned. Andrew landed at the front gate, seeing none of the guards around that had been there before. The gates weren't even properly locked. The sign proclaiming the facility's name was half-hanging off the gate, rusted and bent out of shape.

Andrew approached the gate, reaching a hand out to touch the old sign. It creaked and groaned under his hand. A little further effort had the gate slowly swinging open. Leaving it behind to sway in the breeze, Andrew walked forward towards the dim dark buildings. He wondered where his father was, assuming he was still here.

Andrew came to the main building first. It didn't seem to be inhabited. The front doors had been smashed in, and graffiti scrawled all over the place. Andrew's wings provided meagre light as he walked inside past the reception desk of what was once the foremost psychiatric hospital in the country. It was now in ruins. It looked nothing like how he remembered it.

He took the familiar route down the left corridor towards the doctors' wings where his father's office had been. It was eerily quiet. There was nothing to suggest anyone still lived here. Some of the doors had been broken. His father's office had been at the very end of the corridor and up a small flight of stairs. It looked out over the picturesque grounds and had the best views. Andrew remembered back when he was a child and how he'd sit by the window, looking out at the patients as they wandered around outside. He always asked his father to explain what was wrong with each, fascinated by the descriptions of all the conditions they suffered from. His child's imagination thought they all sounded like fun. To Andrew's young mind, what were voices in your head other than your imaginary friends? That couldn't be such a bad thing, could it? Didn't everyone have imaginary friends that talked to them at some point in their lives?

Andrew stopped outside his father's office, unsure if he wanted to proceed further. His child's view of voices was woefully unrealistic, given what he'd recently been through. He knew all too well what voices in your head could do. His mind stopped short of reminding him of what had happened in the caves. He shivered, a chill running down his spine.

He took a step back. He knew once he opened that door that he would go through with what he had to do. It was entirely possible to turn and leave. Right then. No one would know. His father would never know. He could fly back to the camp, curl into Chris' warm arms, and forget about voices and swords and angels and everything else. And yet...

Taking another look at the door, he was surprised at the lack of damage. It was surprisingly intact and unmarked by the graffiti tags that covered the rest of the place. Maybe the office too was intact. The solid wood door hid the office from view. Andrew would need to go inside if he wanted to see if his father was there.

After taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, Andrew pushed the door open. It squeaked in the same spot it had always squeaked in. Pushing the door open fully, the office appeared to be empty. Andrew stepped forward, noticing it still smelt the same. The books were arranged in a pristine manner, as always. There appeared to be very little dust. Someone was maintaining this room, caring for it as lovingly as they had done years ago. That sent a chill up Andrew's spine. He walked over to the desk, brushing a finger over the dark brown wood, feeling how smooth it was. It was just like he remembered it. He sat down by the window again, taking in that familiar view that had been burnt into his brain from all his years of just sitting and watching.

"Come back at last? Thought I'd seen the last of you, you swine."

Andrew froze. He knew that voice. He left the window sill and turned to see an old shabby man standing in the doorway, battered cane in hand to keep balance. He looked tired and withered now. This was not the same man who had once stood so tall and proud. Andrew didn't know what to say to him.

"Lost your tongue, boy? Still as useless as ever, I see. I danced the day you left, boy. You were a burden to your mother from the day you were born," the man said, limping forward slowly. His voice was filled with quiet hatred, and Andrew wondered what had happened to make him so bitter.

Andrew watched him move. There was a tiny hint of pity for the man who he'd once looked up to, but it was a feeling that didn't last. He still couldn't think of anything to say. What could he say? Nothing seemed appropriate, not in light of what he was about to do.

He watched his father approach. Andrew didn't move. His father only stopped when he was inches away from him. Andrew took smug satisfaction from the fact that he was now taller than his father, who was now shrivelled, bent over and ancient.

"Age hasn't been kind to you, father. What are you still doing here?" Andrew said at last, unable to think of anything better to say.

"You dare me leave my life's work behind? There is still much to do, not that you ever cared about my work. I had dreams about you continuing in my footsteps, but all that died when you betrayed me, boy. No, I stay! I will not leave until my work is done!" the man said, shaking his cane to emphasise his point. His eyes were bright and shining, even if the rest of his body was tired and ready for death.

"Is there anything left here to do? The place looks uninhabited. Not quite the world you once ruled over, father," Andrew said, voice thick with scorn. He could feel Azai taking over, that other part of himself who had the strength to stand up to him that Andrew lacked. Azai spoke for him, spoke the words he couldn't say.

"As long as it still stands, I will remain here!" the man said stubbornly, pointing at the ground where he stood.

"Then I will make sure you die here," Andrew said. "What have you been doing here all these years?"

"None of your business. Why are you here, boy?" the man said.

"To burn this place to the ground. Tonight it begins. Tonight, the world comes to an end," Andrew said, unsheathing his sword. It was glowing brightly now, itching for action. His wings blazed behind him, spreading wide, dancing as if they were on fire. There was no going back. Azai took over completely, sending Andrew crying shrill into back of his mind. Andrew could not have stopped it now, even if he'd wanted to.

The man backed away as best he could. Andrew stood tall, moving forward. Now was not the time for a family reunion. Andrew took no guilt from the way he forced his father backwards and out into the corridor. He was not going to kill him, not yet. He needed to know what he'd been doing here all these years, and he knew he wouldn't be told readily.

"Have you been down in the basement labs? Repeating your experiments on whatever creatures you could get hold of? How can you live with yourself for what you've done?" Andrew said as they moved down the old corridors.

"I can live with myself knowing you will never inherit my wealth. My son died 14 years ago, and he certainly never had wings like you. Filthy traitor, you've become one of them! I told you not to spend so much time with them! They've corrupted you, brainwashed you. You're an evil thing, boy! You don't deserve to exist!" the man said, shaking his cane at Andrew.

Andrew lunged forward and grabbed the man by his collar, bringing their faces close together. "Where's your secret lab, father? What have you done to them?" Andrew growled, determined to find out.

The man simply laughed at him. His breath stunk like alcohol and bad tobacco. "You want to see my creations, do you? Want to see how I've bettered the human race? Come with me then, traitor," the man hissed. He curled a withered finger at him, wanting him to follow him.

Andrew shoved him forward and watched him shuffle off down another corridor, hissing laughter still passing his lips as he limped along. Andrew followed, unsure what he would find, but quite convinced it would not be pleasant.

The man stopped outside a secured door and turned to face him again. There was a gleam in the man's eyes that Andrew didn't like. "Come in and see the future, boy. This is what the human race must become if we are to ensure our survival!" the man said.

Andrew watched him open the door and limp inside. Andrew followed uneasily. He had a bad feeling he would hate everything in this room, but he needed to know what had been going on here for so long.

The room he entered was huge, cavernous, and plain. There were all sorts of equipment all over the place, especially lining the walls. Towards the back of the room were the cages. Andrew followed the man towards them. Andrew could see … well, something inside them.

His anger grew as he saw the mutated remains of wings, and the distorted, wretched bodies chained inside them. He was surprised they were still alive. The old man walked along the cages, banging against the bars with his cane. The creatures moaned and stirred at the man's incessant noise, their movements stiff and awkward. They were horribly disfigured. Andrew couldn't see how they were an improvement on the human race. Maybe his father really had gone mad after all. All the best geniuses did. It was a path he was glad he was free of.

"You call this the future? The isolation has driven you mad," Andrew said.

"You are mad for allying yourself with those filthy mutants!" the man hissed, shaking his cane at him.

"They will be purged, and you shall be punished for your crimes. This place has stood here long enough. It deserves nothing less than being destroyed completely. This all ends now," Andrew said, sword glowing brightly again as it prepared to be used.

"You would destroy my life's work, boy? You are foolish, more foolish than your stupid mother! I suggest you leave and never come back," the man said.

"This is for you, mother. I'm sorry it has to end like this," Andrew murmured.

Holding the sword out before him, he swung it past the cages and set them on fire. Nothing less would cleanse the poor creatures of their hated existence. His father screamed and tried to save them, but the fire pushed him back. Andrew stood there with cold eyes and watched the destruction. The fire didn't touch him. His wings shimmered bright and fierce behind him, fluttering gently as if nothing was wrong.

Soon the whole room was ablaze. His father had tried to flee, had probably made it down one of the corridors, before the fire had caught up with him. Andrew would shed no tears for him. The tears that did fall were for the creatures whose lives he'd just taken. He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve and whispered another apology before flying upwards away from the flames. He had changed now. His body was not mortal, not anymore. Once the righteous fire was released, Andrew was no longer human. Azai was released at last from the confines of a mortal body and hovered in the air above the buildings as he directed their destruction.

With little remorse, the buildings were destroyed, one by one, reduced to burning rubble. He cared little about it, apart from knowing his nightmares were finally conquered. He landed on the ground just in front of the gates and watched the destruction. There was burning fire reflected in his eyes. The sword had dancing blue flames on it, caressing the blade as they waited to be called into action.

"Tonight it begins. Tonight the world ends," Andrew said.

* * *

Chris returned to his room after midnight, tired of meetings and planning. He was expecting to see Andrew there still, like he had been a few hours ago. Instead, the room was empty, and the bed unmade. Chris wasn't sure he was supposed to panic yet. He hadn't remembered seeing Andrew anywhere as he walked around the camp, but Andrew was good at sneaking around undetected, so perhaps he had missed him. As he gazed around the room, he couldn't shake the feeling that what he'd witnessed before had something to do with Andrew's disappearance again. Had he really gone mad and left again? Chris wasn't sure, but there was a sense of dread in the air that suggested this was not just any ordinary disappearance. Deciding not to linger any longer, as Andrew was unlikely to appear in his room again, Chris went to find Julian, Adam, Tim, Wil, Chas, anyone who was around. Something was up, and it needed to be dealt with. Right now.

Heading back down the corridor towards the meeting rooms, he found Chas and Dom in Julian's office, drinking hot tea as they chatted to a tired looking Julian. Chas was prodding him as Julian tried to fend him off. Dom was trying to predict when Julian would fall asleep.

"Uhh, guys? Andrew's gone again. I don't know where, but I have a feeling it's not good. My gut instinct says he's not here," Chris said

"Yeah? You serious? Why would he leave again?" Chas said.

Julian sat up. "I think I know why. He said it wasn't over. Maybe this is what he meant. He didn't tell me exactly what he meant, but I got the impression it was something he didn't want to do. He said he couldn't tell me anything. Dom, get on the radio and check for anything that might suggest Andrew at work. Chas, get our scouts out looking for him. No more than twenty minutes, and make it a small radial search. I just want to confirm he's not around here. Then we'll think about what else to do."

"I was about to suggest checking the radios. If he's gone attacking bases, that will definitely show up. We'll probably be able to pinpoint his location from that too," Dom said.

"You're assuming he's not capable of, I don't know, supersonic flight or something. I mean, those wings of his? They could let him fly across the country in six seconds. We don't know what he's capable of now," Chas said.

"I know, Chas. That's what I'm afraid of," Julian said.

"I'll go search too. I need something to do or I'll go mad," Chris said.

"Come on then, lard arse. Let's get you into some scouting gear," Chas said.

Chris was pleased for the distraction. He followed Chas out to the barracks where he was equipped with what he'd need. Chas rallied the main scout party, briefed them, and sent them off with Chris to search. As Chris set off, he thought it was better than sitting around waiting for news.

* * *

Andrew turned and took to the air, not bothering to look back at the burning mess. He flew towards the nearest army base, looking for more things to destroy. All he wanted to do was destroy. Nothing else would satisfy, not now. Azai wanted blood, and he would take it, no matter what. He took a quick look at the base from the air before descending in a blaze of fire.

The soldiers guarding the gates didn't stand a chance as Andrew cut them down with his sword, forcing his way inside. He blasted his way towards the tanks and commanded them to follow after disposing of their crews. Andrew stood on the front of the lead tank as he drove them all into the night, leaving the base in ruins. He watched as one soldier ran from the scene, terrified of him. He was shouting into his radio, calling for help. Andrew regarded him wordlessly.

"Let him run. There will be more chances to destroy him later. Let them come to me. I will slay them all!" Andrew said as he drove the tanks onwards.

* * *

Back at the haven, the search for Andrew had been unsuccessful thus far. The scouts had seen no sign of him. The radio had been more successful. Dom had been monitoring the radios with Hamish and they had heard the panicked distress calls from the Army base and the chatter that followed about a lone agent taking out an Army base and stealing tanks. Dom decided he should stay and keep an ear on what was going on and sent Hamish to find Adam to let him know.

Hamish went, scribbled note clutched in his hand, and searched in three rooms before he found Adam talking to Julian. Hamish approached, trying not to look panicked.

"Uh, Dom sent me to tell you that there's news. Army chatter right now concerns someone taking out one of the old psych hospitals and a nearby army base in a blaze of fire. Troops have been moved out to investigate. No description of the person involved yet, apart from someone working alone who had blazing wings of fire like a malevolent angel. Now, might just be me, but I'd wager that was Andrew," Hamish said.

"That is not the news I wanted to hear. Shit. I don't see we've any other choice but to move out now," Adam said.

"What, start the rebellion now? You must be mad," Julian said.

"I don't think we'll get a better chance than this. They're distracted by Andrew. That gives us a chance to attack without warning. What better way to start than that?" Adam said.

"So what happens to Andrew then? Do we abandon him? Leave him to their mercy again? I don't know if I can condone that, Adam," Julian said.

"Don't worry about Andrew. I'll deal with him personally once we know what we're working with. Right now, we have to move out. There's no other choice. We sit back now and we're doomed. We won't get another chance like this. The Army will be on full alert from now on. Best strike now before they have time to prepare themselves. Let's use the chaos to our advantage. Hamish, get on the lines and call the Chinese in to move. It's on. Jules, get everyone else organised and awake. they should all know the drill by now. Let them know we're moving out in half an hour. Take everything with us in case we get caught out. I don't want anything at all left behind. You got that?" Adam said.

"On it, Adam," Hamish said. He saluted with a grin and headed off.

"I still think this is madness, but you're the boss," Julian said.

"Look, I promise, I'll deal with Andrew if and when we find him, okay? I don't want him getting hurt. I've got a feeling that he's being led by a greater force than we're able to control. Pray to Seb we can save him," Adam said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Julian considered his words before nodding his agreement. Adam patted his shoulder and ushered him out. They had bigger things to worry about.

* * *

The whole base was alive again as everyone readied themselves for war. Adam, Tim and Wil were directing everyone into groups, sending them off as they were ready. Everything was taken; everyone was armed to the teeth. All over the state, the small cells of other rebels that were hidden elsewhere to disguise the true number of rebels spurred into action.

Long convoys of trucks, tanks and other armoured vehicles snaked their way into the city, engaging in skirmishes with Army bases as they came to them. There were casualties on both sides as they fought for dominance. Clearly, the sudden move had taken the Army by surprise. They were caught unaware as the rebels descended, killing or capturing anyone they came across.

Winged troops were flying in the air ahead as scouts, warning the ground troops of incoming planes and army forces. The first base Adam and their contingent of troops came across wasn't prepared for them. They were still running around trying to secure their defences when Adam ordered their tanks to fire into the camp, sending everything into chaos. One thing Adam knew about army warfare is that demoralised troops were quick to join the side that appeared to be winning, especially when they could see there was no point in staying behind being annihilated.

The first base fell easily, and those left were quick to join the rebels for fear of being wiped out by that lone figure with a barrage of empty tanks he commanded as if by magic, blazing wings lighting his path with fear.

As they progressed, the bases were becoming more organised and drew them into prolonged battles as they tried to keep them at bay, but as they kept acquiring troops, things began to sway in their favour. Some bases were more resilient than others, fighting with every strength to keep the mutants at bay.

* * *

Andrew travelled onward, his entire body blazing fire now as he destroyed everything in his wake. He was determined to forge a path straight to the heart of the city and on towards Canberra. He wanted to be the one to raze Parliament House into the ground, and he would get his way, no matter what.

Andrew had heard about the rebellion being launched as he'd made his way south. It amused him, as a nice distraction, though it was of no real concern to him. No one was going to get in the way if Andrew had anything to do with it. He had managed to avoid running into any of the other rebels, which was fine by him. He had his own agenda anyway, and the last thing he needed was to run into Adam who would no doubt tell him to stop and quit killing people and that he was jeopardising their entire cause.

Andrew had reached the city by dawn. By now, the news was just beginning to filter through to the official media channels, who were rallying all good citizens into taking up arms against these traitors as they sought to destroy their glorious nation.

There was chaos on the streets. There were those just interested in not getting killed by either side, as the Army had taken to shooting anyone who looked suspicious in case they were a rebel, and there were those fighting for both sides. Towns descended into street battles, and those fighting tried to hold the town as long as possible while those fleeing the violence ran for their lives, trying not to get killed. There was nowhere safe to run.

* * *

The other rebels finally met Andrew outside the State Parliament House after several hours of carnage. Andrew and his convoy of empty tanks had surrounded the buildings, guns ready to fire. Adam finally saw what Andrew had become. No one recognised him. He stood there, hovering above the centre tank, casting a wall of fire between them. His fiery eyes narrowed as he tried to warn them to back off. Adam pulled his men back, not wanting to get them caught up in the flames.

"Stay back, Adam. This is my battle, not yours. Don't try and stop me," Andrew said.

"Andrew, this is not helping. This is causing chaos. Why are you fighting us?" Adam said, approaching as close as he dared.

"This is my battle. Today, the world ends," Andrew said.

"Andrew, please, work with us, don't fight against us," Adam tried again, not wanting them to be at odds.

"Fuck off. This is my battle. I will take Canberra without your help. This country shall be mine. Not yours, not the Chinese, not the Indonesians, but mine. Only I can cleanse it," Andrew said.

As if to emphasise his point, the empty tanks began firing on Parliament House as they began to reduce it to rubble. Andrew found himself almost disappointed there wasn't anyone inside. Adam moved his troops on once the firing had started, not wanting to be caught up in it. Andrew was having far too much fun, and Adam didn't want to distract himself from the task at hand. There would be time to deal with Andrew later.

* * *

"Hold your fire! Guys, stop shooting!" Adam shouted as he saw the white flag waving from the bunker where they had been engaged in fighting the troops there.

The rebels held their fire as the opposing soldiers came out from their bunker. Adam was surprised to see one of the high-ranking colonels being escorted out to meet them.

"Hold fire, but be prepared. We don't know what they're asking for," Adam said as he cautiously walked out to meet them.

"You the rebel leader?" the colonel said as they approached.

"I am, yes. What's it to you?" Adam said, trying not to inflame him.

"We've got a problem, and I think it's your doing," the colonel said.

"Oh yeah? Why do you say that?" Adam said.

"Queensland is under attack. The Chinese-Indonesian combined forces are cutting a swathe through the state. They're being strategic, they know where to target. If they keep this up, they'll have the state under their control by midnight. There are reports of them over in the west as well. Did you invite them into the country?" the colonel said.

"Might've done," Adam said.

"Well, you'd better come with me. The Prime Minister wants to meet you," the colonel said.

"Oh right, I see. I come with you, you kill me, my rebels are crushed into the ground and then you bastards sweep up and drive the invaders out and nothing changes at all," Adam said.

"That might've been the case had we not had at least a third of our forces defect to your side. As it is, we're struggling to hold them back. The Prime Minister wants an allegiance to drive them out for good," the colonel said.

"No way. Not if this oppression continues. I will not fight beside a dictator," Adam said.

"He's willing to make a deal. He needs your troops, just as you thought you needed the Chinese," the colonel said.

"They did help us. We would never have acquired enough firepower to make such a decisive sweep without their help, and without the generous support from your own soldiers," Adam said, unable to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"Look, we're in trouble. Whatever the Chinese said to you, they're not interested in anything other than conquest. We work together, and we can defeat them and push them back," the colonel said.

"No way. I will not fight alongside a dictator. We will take over this country first. We need change. Can't you see how it's gotten to this stage? The Prime Minister and his oppressive regime must be unseated before any of my crew will fight alongside you and fight the Chinese. That's final," Adam said.

The colonel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, just come with me to meet him, alright? I promise you won't get shot or arrested," he said.

"Not alone. I'm bringing my men with me, and we will remain armed. If he can't agree to this, we're not coming and the fighting will continue until we can take this country by force," Adam said.

"I will see if he agrees. Ceasefire until then?" the colonel suggested.

"Not on your life. We keep fighting, just like always," Adam said.

The colonel looked rather angry at Adam's remarks, but gave him a forced salute and turned heel and left to go back to his troops.

"Arm yourselves, guys. The fighting's about to begin," Adam said as he pulled back, ready to start the skirmish all over again.


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seb finally brings Andrew under control, leaving Chris to deal with the fallout as he takes Andrew to safety.

By mid-afternoon, Andrew had made it to Canberra. The other rebels hadn't made it so far, but they were not as interested in fighting their way through as fast as possible, nor would they have found it as easy as Andrew had. Andrew had powered the tanks to make fast progress southward, cutting a fiery path down the coast and destroying any resistance he found along the way. All he cared about was getting to Canberra.

He arrived with little fanfare, most of the resistance torn between fiery death thanks to one strange being, or fighting off the real rebellion, and given a choice, most picked the rebellion, leaving Andrew free to do what he wanted. He stopped outside Parliament House and positioned his tanks, ready to destroy it.

Andrew wondered if they really were all inside there, like he had hoped they were. They, of course, being the Government. They wouldn't evacuate, would they, just because there was a rebellion happening all over the country. Hell, they probably thought Parliament House was the safest place to be, and goodness knows it was self-sufficient enough to keep them locked away in there for months if need be.

The few soldiers guarding the House closed in and readied their weapons. No way was some fire demon going to destroy their Parliament House. Their initial shots were greeted with silence as they flew through the air and hit nothing. Andrew narrowed his eyes and smirked. He raised his flaming sword in the air and charged his tanks to fire.

The soldiers ran for cover and tried to rescue anyone still inside. The tanks rained shells down upon the building. Andrew smiled with glee as he watched it fall to pieces, trapping everyone inside. The screaming didn't bother him. No one could touch him. He flew around the building, looking for anyone trying to escape. The last thing he wanted was for someone to get free. That was not part of the plan.

Andrew's timing had been impeccable. He had rushed to Canberra to destroy everyone in Parliament. All the figures ruling over the country would be there, and now they were buried under rubble. It was not a building Andrew liked, either. It represented everything he hated. It was not the People's House anymore; it had stopped belonging to the people many years ago. It had to be destroyed. Then they could rebuild another one on the foundations of the old one, one that would not be so hated and representative of the evils the country had suffered.

There was an eerie silence once the tanks had stopped firing. Parliament House lay in ruins, crushed into the ground. It looked odd, what with everything else in Canberra left relatively unscathed. Once it was clear Andrew had won, the gathered crowd stood there passively, unable to believe what they were seeing. Some were soldiers, some used to work in Parliament House, and others worked in other institutions around the capital.

Andrew gazed around, satisfied, sword held loosely in his hand. The fire that had engulfed his body dissipated; the only flames left caressed the sword blade, ready for action. He raised his sword above his head and slammed it down into the ground, sending a flash of bright fire light across the city.

"This country is mine! No one will stop me now!"

Andrew flew into the air and circled around Canberra, still clutching the sword tightly. He sent flaming figures down to the ground to guard his territory, animating them and making them live. The orange figures patrolled the roads and entry ways, ensuring no one got in. Anyone still standing around fled in fear.

"Now to fly! There is much to do!" Andrew cackled as he flew, heading back towards Sydney.

* * *

Andrew searched the streets below for his prey, hoping to find Adam and the other rebels. He wanted to gloat, to taunt them into attacking. He finally found them involved in another skirmish in some random street Andrew couldn't remember the name of, fighting some soldiers as they fought for control of the city. Andrew flew down to them, landing in the middle of the fight, grinning wickedly as the bullets shot straight through him. With one outstretched hand, Andrew disposed of the soldiers and turned his attention to the rebels. He was pleased to see Chris there, who stopped when he noticed Andrew there. Another soldier held Chris back as he tried to make his way to Andrew.

"Adam. We meet at last. This country will be mine. Tell your men to back off," Andrew said as he walked forward.

"Andrew, settle down. Work with us instead of against us," Adam said.

Andrew laughed. "I wonder if you realise just how pathetic that sounds. Look at what I've become! I can do more like this than I ever could as a mortal. Watch me bring this country into utter chaos."

"You're crazy," Adam said, shaking his head, lost for anything else to say.

Chris broke away from the man holding him back and approached Andrew. Andrew turned to look at him when he saw him and closed in, a fiery hand caressing his cheek. Chris stared into his eyes, trying to search for the man he loved.

"What have you done to yourself?" Chris said softly.

For a moment, Andrew weakened, seeing the concern in Chris' eyes, but it wasn't enough to subdue the spirit inside him. His eyes sparkled with delight as he spoke.

"I'm alive! I've never felt so powerful before!"

As if to prove his point, Andrew pushed Chris away, sending him flying backwards into the rebel soldiers behind him. Chris scrambled to his feet, but wisely kept his distance.

Andrew straightened and scowled at Chris. "I can do anything I want. I've been released from my prison and now I'm seeking revenge on the world that punished me before."

"Who are you really? What's happened to Andrew?" Adam said.

"The human you call Andrew is dead and gone. I required his life to set me free," Andrew said.

"Andrew, you're scaring me. What have you done? What's done this to you?" Adam said.

"Things that should never have meddled in affairs that are not their own."

Everyone turned to see Sepulchre's translucent figure standing behind them as he walked towards Andrew.

"You! You helped free me! All this is your doing!" Andrew hissed, insidious smile across his lips.

"That sword will be your destruction. You have no right to meddle here. You took Andrew before I realised what you really were. Now, get out. Leave him alone. Begone back to the caves where you were once trapped. You do not deserve any reward for what you have done," Sepulchre said.

"No. No! You will not have power over me! You have no power to banish me!" Andrew yelled as he backed away.

"I know your true name, Azai. With it, I will bind you to me and take you away," Sepulchre said.

"No! No you will not! I will not go with you! I will destroy this pathetic human before you take me!" Andrew was screaming now, panic clear in his voice.

Sepulchre walked forward, eyes blazing. He held out his hand towards Andrew and closed his eyes. Almost instantly, Andrew was kneeling on the ground, clutching his head and screaming in pain. No one else could hear what, if anything, was being said, but it was clear Seb knew what he was doing and was gaining control of Andrew.

By the time Andrew stopped screaming, he was curled up on the ground, naked and shivering, fingers digging into his scalp. Seb stood there, the flaming creature that had taken hold of Andrew crouched close to the ground, chained to Seb with golden metal shackles.

"Azai, you're coming with me. Adam, look after Andrew. He was held hostage by a force he could not fight. He may not recover, but there's no way to tell right now. You have a bigger battle to win. Be prepared to compromise. There are greater forces at work here than even I had anticipated. I leave you now, but know you are blessed and looked after," Seb said before vanishing from view.

Adam and Chris were at Andrew's side immediately. Chris gathered him into his arms, holding him close. Andrew clutched onto him, somehow knowing he was safe.

"Someone get a truck, we need to take him somewhere safe. Some of you set up a guard around us. The rest of you keep moving. We can't afford to stop for too long or they'll be on us before we can fight back," Adam said, directing the troops waiting for instructions. They immediately got to work, following his orders.

Andrew's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at the face above him. Recognising him as Chris, he smiled. Chris almost started crying. He gently brushed a finger against his cheek, glad to see him alive.

"You'll be alright, mate, just hang in there," Chris murmured as he stroked his head gently.

The relief that washed over Andrew's face said what he wasn't able to say.

* * *

Adam and the rest of the troops fought on, trying to establish their rebellion, while Chris travelled in the truck with Andrew as they looked for somewhere safe to take him. The truck eventually stopped outside a on the outskirts of the city. A makeshift hospital had been set up in a small primary school by both the rebels and the Army as the casualties mounted on both sides. It was easier than trying to rely on hospitals, not when there were soldiers all over the streets. Any safe building was used, as long as it was out of range of most of the fighting.

The truck stopped outside the school. Chris left the truck to carry Andrew inside. The room he entered first was crowded with patients, soldiers, and medical staff, with every available surface being utilised. Chris was greeted by a nurse who bombarded him with questions about Andrew's condition as she walked him to the first spare bed they had, which was a couple of rooms away. Chris gently lay him down on the bed and stepped back so the nurse could examine Andrew.

Chris hung back, watching her fussing over Andrew, hoping he was alright. He absent-mindedly chewed his fingernails, unable to tear his eyes off him. He didn't look at the other patients, some who were even more badly injured than Andrew. All that mattered was Andrew. Time seemed to slow down. Even the gunfire and artillery shots all around him couldn't break his concentration. He would not be able to relax until he knew Andrew was alright.

Andrew was left sleeping restlessly. It was the best they could do. Andrew's mind was not willing to cooperate just yet, and Chris could hardly complain. It wasn't like he had just hurt his arm or something. Chris wanted to stay by his side until he woke, but he was shooed out and told he would be more useful helping the other soldiers guard the hospital. It was hard to argue with that, and Chris headed out to find the other soldiers, trying to push his worry out of his mind.

* * *

A soldier approached Chris as he left the room Andrew was in. Chris recognised the insignia and uniform of a State soldier anywhere, and it left him a little nervous.

"You got a gun? Know how to fight?" he said.

Chris found his hand went to his gun anyway. "I'm a rebel, but I know how to fight. Got trouble?"

The soldier gestured anxiously. "Shit yeah. Round the front. Surprise assault. Come on, we need every man we can get. This way."

Chris followed him to the front of the school. There were already soldiers engaged in gunfire across the street, though exactly who they were fighting was unclear.

"What have we got? Is it the Army?" Chris said as he crouched behind a rock, firing over the top towards the trucks.

"Think so. Maybe some rebels too. All we're trying to do is keep them away from here," the other soldier said. "The name's Fletcher. Major Fletcher, fourth brigade."

"Good to be fighting with you, Major. You sure there's not a better way to get them to back off?" Chris said.

"It's the only one we've got," Major Fletcher said.

"How many soldiers do we have here? Have we got anyone round the back?" Chris said.

"There were around thirty of us before, but we're down to about ten now. Can't say we're the best men ever, just the ones who care enough to protect a place like this," Major Fletcher said.

"Should we head round the back, just to make sure? They seem to be heading off now," Chris said.

The Major straightened and lowered his gun. "Yeah, okay. But only because I know there's only a few back there. They could probably do with a couple more."

Chris and the Major kept cover fire going as they crept around the back to defend the place. Taking strategic positions again, they scoured the night for advancing troops from either side. Chris looked up as he spotted a large group advancing towards them, mostly in vehicles.

"Major! You hear that? Large group coming right towards us!" Chris whispered harshly.

"Should we hail them? Tell them to stay away from here? I doubt the few of us could fight them off," the Major said.

"Might work. You're official Army, you hail them," Chris said.

"We're one rebel and one Army officer. We both hail them," the Major said.

Chris nodded his approval. With a quick glance at the Major, they both got to their feet to address the approaching group, their weapons laid down on the ground as a sign of surrender.

"Halt! This is a hospital! Identify yourselves!" the Major said.

The group stopped about ten metres away and the soldiers alighted. Bright headlights blinded Chris and the Major from seeing who was approaching them. Their commanding officer walked forward to greet Chris and the Major. They saluted as they met, Chris standing back a touch, not wanting to be identified so readily as a rebel in case these men were not friendly.

"Lieutenant Colonel Jones, third cavalry battalion. This an Army hospital?" the commanding officer said.

"Major Fletcher, fourth infantry brigade. It's a joint Army/rebel hospital, sir. There's only about ten of us guarding it, a mix of Army and rebel soldiers, sir. Orders from the Brigadier, sir," the Major said.

"A joint operation? Have we reached alliance already?" Lt Col Jones said. He glanced at Chris curiously.

"Unofficially, we have. Both the Army and rebel forces in Queensland are fighting together now in a bid to stop the progress of the combined Chinese-Indonesian troops taking over the state. I've been ordered to look after this hospital and to protect the rebels, sir. We may need their troops in the end if we're going to drive out the invaders. The Brig said it was the best option for now and that antagonising the rebels further would not help matters. Civil war in the face of a huge invasion is not a plan for success. I've heard there's other unofficial alliances as well that are in the process of being formed. The news of the Chinese-Indonesian invasion is spreading quickly. Everyone's preparing for it. We're still waiting on word of an official alliance though," the Major said.

"Had much fighting around the place? We could lend our forces to protecting the hospital and get some more infrastructure in place," Lt Col Jones said.

"Got some fighting out the front. I think some rebels turned up and started firing. We're protecting the place and returning fire as best we can, sir, but we can't be everywhere. There are only ten of us," the Major said.

"Consider us allies then. I'll get the men around to help. Is this one of the rebels, Major?" Lt Col Jones said, looking at Chris standing there, watching their conversation.

"Chris Taylor, sir. Yes, I'm one of the rebels. My partner's hurt, he's being taken care of. I offered to defend the hospital, sir," Chris said stepping forward to meet him, unable to avoid slipping back into soldier mode as he conversed with a senior officer.

"That's good of you, Taylor. Is that an Army-issue assault rifle?" Lt Col Jones said, noticing the gun Chris was holding. He'd picked it up again, just in case.

"Er, yeah, we may have nicked some Army equipment. Seemed easier than smuggling it into the country, sir," Chris said.

"Kept it in good condition?" Lt Col Jones said.

"Yes, sir. Learnt how to look after it during my time in the Reserves, sir," Chris said.

"You were a Reservist, Taylor?" Lt Col said.

"Yes, sir. Royal New South Wales Regiment, 41st Battalion, sir," Chris said.

"Good man. I like a man who's served his time. Ever deployed?" Lt Col said.

"New Zealand, sir, during the invasion. I was sent to Auckland. Served there for three years," Chris said.

"What made you leave and join the rebels, Taylor?" Lt Col said.

"To be perfectly frank, it was New Zealand, sir. I got there and saw what the troops were doing to the citizens and it sickened me. How I lasted three years there, I don't know. I managed to avoid most of the fighting. I was deployed to secure the city once it had been taken. When I returned, I left and soon after, I heard about the rebels and joined them," Chris said.

"If it's any consolation, Taylor, New Zealand was a mistake. We should never have gone there. I was stationed in the south, protecting the troops as they ravaged the country, looking for the nukes they were supposedly stockpiling. It was all lies and all for political gain. I don't blame you for leaving after that. What rank did you obtain by the time you left?" Lt Col said.

"I was just a Private, sir. Serving in New Zealand kinda put me off ranks, sir," Chris said.

"Well, Private, let's get this guard in place. We've wasted enough time chatting. Remind me to buy you a drink when all this is over," Lt Col Jones said.

"Will do, sir," Chris said.

* * *

With the extra troops in place, Chris allowed himself to relax a little. They could defend themselves now, especially as they had acquired some missiles along the way. It was certainly better than ten men trying in vain to secure a place that probably should be guarded by at least fifty. Chris returned to Andrew's side whenever there was a lull in the fighting. Andrew continued to sleep on, unaware of the fighting on around him.

It was hours later when he finally woke. Chris was exhausted from patrolling and had asked for a break. He was in need of sleep, but now that he'd stopped, all he wanted to do was see Andrew, now that he'd woken at last. After taking some coffee and some food that was offered, he let a nurse take him to Andrew.

"He'll be alright, we think, but don't push him. His mind's very fragile right now. When things settle down, we'll have him moved to a proper hospital where he might be able to get better treatment, but we'll do what we can for now," the nurse said as she gestured Chris towards Andrew's bed.

"Thanks. I know you can only do so much right now. I'll stay and guard the place as long as possible. Least I can do," Chris said.

"Thank you. It's much appreciated," the nurse said and left them alone.

Chris sat down beside Andrew's bed and took his hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Hey there, love," he said quietly.

Andrew stiffly looked over at him and smiled. "Hey," he whispered, finally able to talk. His voice was soft and pained, but at least he could talk. "Are we winning?"

Chris shrugged. "Dunno, still fighting though. I'm staying to guard the hospital here, and to look after you. You gave us quite a scare, you did. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Achey. I don't remember much, not really. It's all kinda vague and fuzzy. If I've fucked up, I'm sorry."

"Seb saved you. He said it wasn't your fault," Chris said.

Andrew grinned. "Good ol' Seb."

"Yeah."

"Still should've been stronger though. I'm such a weak pathetic human being." Andrew's smile faded, and elation turned to disappointment.

"You didn't let it destroy you. You're so much stronger than you realise," Chris said. He brought a hand up and stroked Andrew's cheek gently with the back of his hand.

Andrew leant against his hand, loving his touch. He almost wanted to cry. "Why the hell do you still love me?"

"Can't stop loving you. Sounds corny, I know, but it's true. You mean everything to me, Andrew," Chris said.

"Heh, how absurd of you to be talking of such love while there's a raging war on outside," Andrew said, stifling a laugh.

"Well, I could talk about the war if it'll make you feel better," Chris said. "It's all the rage at the moment."

Andrew sat up a little, more curious about the situation outside than he had thought he would be, considering all he'd been through. "Have we lost anyone yet? How many have died so far?"

"No one knows. There are battles raging all over the country, and the Chinese and Indonesians are sweeping down through Queensland. No one knows anything right now. All we're doing is fighting for our survival."

"I thought that's how it might pan out. Do you think it'll all be worth it? Have we made a bad decision in bringing this country into war? We've never known civil war here. Do you think we can really cope with this?"

Chris shifted uncomfortably. Andrew wanted answers he didn't have. "It's too late to stop it now. The Chinese are refusing to leave, now that they've gotten a foothold into the country. Word is they've betrayed us and are wanting to take over the country for themselves."

"That doesn't surprise me either. I wasn't sure allying with them was a good idea."

"We had no choice. No one else was willing to arm and aid us."

Andrew sighed and leant his head back against the bed. "I know, but didn't we ever consider that they might betray us in the end? We knew how hungry for energy and food they are. They had vested interests in helping us. Didn't they bargain for control of our mines as well? We're letting them take our country from us. We'll be no better off than before. Can't do anything but fight and stay alive, I suppose."

"Yeah, that is true. Nothing else to do, really. Are you gonna be alright?" Chris said.

"Hope so. I hope I didn't hurt you or Craig at all," Andrew said.

"Nah, you didn't hurt us. We'll be fine. You, on the other hand, I hope you're alright, because from what I can gather, your precious mind took a lot of damage. I hope it's not going to be too bad. I'd hate for you to be destroyed by this," Chris said.

"Me too. I don't remember much, but it's all kinda crazy. I just hope the voice is gone for good. It scared me, it did," Andrew said.

"It scared me too. You sounded crazy, talking to yourself like that. Craig and I had no idea what was going on. We didn't know what you were going to do with us," Chris said.

Andrew drew his knees up to his chest and stared down at his feet. "I didn't - I tried to tell you, to save you, I didn't want to hurt you. I-I knew what Craig had gone through before and I wasn't sure I could hand him over to go through it again. But the voice - the voice was too strong. It wanted me to do things I didn't want to do. It hurt me. It scared me. There were times I was too frightened of the voice to disobey it."

Chris moved to sit on the bed beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, trying to bring him some comfort. "Shh. It's all over now. Seb said the voice is gone for good. You'll be alright now."

Andrew looked at him anxiously. "I hope so. I don't like being crazy. Am I going to fight again? Or is this the end of my service? I'd feel bad lying back in bed while you guys fight on, doing nothing to help."

"I'd be very surprised if you did any more fighting. I've seen guys with battle shock like yours, though you got a deeper hit of it than most. You've suffered a great trauma. It's not the sort of thing you sleep off in a week."

Andrew laughed again. "Hey, I know how to look after myself. I'm not that fucking fragile."

"No, but your mind needs looking after. I'm not sure it's able to cope with the horrors of warfare right now. I'll talk to Adam and Wil, see if there's anything we can rig up for you. Not sure when they'll be moving you either, or where they'll be moving you to. I may have to stay here and defend the hospital, though. There's barely enough of us to keep this place safe. Besides, a hospital is worth defending, yeah?" Chris said.

"I'll be alright. Just - don't abandon me. Come and see me every now and then," Andrew said.

"Will do. You get better, you here? Can't have you all sick, can we?" Chris said.

"I'll be fine, Chris. Stop fussing," Andrew said, brushing him away playfully.

"Is it my fault you've given me a perfect opportunity to fuss over you and shower you with love and attention?" Chris said with a grin.

"Keep that up and I might not let you leave," Andrew said.

"I'll leave whether you want me to or not. I'd like to get some sleep between now and the next time I need to get out there and fight. I thought I'd at least come and talk to you for a while before I went though. Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. I'll be a few rooms over if you need me, but please, for the love of the Gods, let me sleep, alright?" Chris said, getting to his feet.

"I was wondering why you looked so tired. Go on, get some sleep then. You're needed more than I am," Andrew said.

Chris brushed the hair out of his eyes as he gave him a soft kiss. Andrew let him go reluctantly and settled back in bed to take some rest of his own. The distraction of Chris was gone and now he was left with a mind full of memories it wasn't sure it wanted. Unwilling to deal with it just yet, he asked a nurse for some sleeping pills and allowed himself to fall asleep, hoping, praying, for dreamless rest.


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Former enemies become friends as the rebellion grows beyond its original goal in the face of invasion. Both the rebels and the State Army must be quick to react and act together, but will it be enough?

By the time dawn came, the city was in utter chaos. Those not fighting had mostly fled, and those still fighting were engaged in skirmishes amongst themselves. Those forming unofficial alliances moved north and prepared for the Chinese, hoping to get a defensive barrier in place before the task was insurmountable. The rest fought amongst themselves, trying to gain the upper hand. Adam and his troops headed south, fighting their way to Canberra. Resistance built as they got further southward, with the remaining Army forces doing their best to defend the nation's capital.  They finally broke into the capital just after mid-morning, only to find Parliament House in ruins. Adam drew them up to a stop and got out of the truck to investigate.

"Basic defences, they might be going for reinforcements. The rest of you, stay armed. Three of you, follow me," Adam said as he walked towards the ruins. He climbed over the wreckage as he surveyed the damage. "Shit. Do you think Andrew did this?"

Hamish joined him. "Looks like it, Adam. Who else would do this?"

"This is not good. This really isn't good. I wonder if there was anyone still in here when it was destroyed? I wonder if anyone's still alive?" Adam said.

"Do we even have time to search for them?" Hamish said.

"We need to know. Parliament was scheduled to sit yesterday. Maybe they didn't have time to evacuate before Andrew descended on them. If they're all dead, this is all over now. I had no intention of killing them, you know that. I was going to arrest them and have them tried properly, you know, bring them to justice. This… this is senseless carnage," Adam said.

The damage was substantial. The whole building had been reduced to rubble. Some of the rebels began searching, if for no other reason than there seemed to be little else to do. Adam felt partly responsible. He hadn't meant for it to end like this. But Andrew had grown beyond his control and it had resulted in this. One of the rebels approached.

"Adam, I think there were people in here. Should we try and recover the bodies and see if anyone's still alive?"

"It will have to be done eventually, I'm sure, but right now we have more pressing matters. See if there are any Army personnel around. I think we can call the old regime dead and gone, if you'll excuse the expression. Call for the most senior ranking officer, or at least the highest ranking person who's now in charge. We need to get this over with and move against the Chinese," Adam said.

"Right on it, Adam."

Three of them set off for the surrounding area, looking for Army soldiers. Adam remained where he was and took in the damage. This was not how he wanted his rebellion to end. Allegiance with what was left of the State's Armed Forces was now a mere formality. They would need to be united if they were going to push back the invasion and save the country.

"This is really sad. Although it means the old regime is out of the way once and for all. We can start afresh when we've beaten back the Chinese," Adam said.

"We'll have to rebuild a lot, not just Parliament. It'll take years to recover from this," Hamish said.

"Yeah, it'll take a while, but maybe we can bring this country back to where it should be and bring our democracy back instead of being ruled over by a tyrant. Come on, let's see if there's anything that can be salvaged, and if anyone's managed to survive," Adam said with a sigh.

Metre by metre, Adam and his men began searching the rubble for signs of life. In the end, they found more corpses than survivors. Only five of the people inside managed to survive. Setting up a makeshift hospital, the survivors were treated as best the rebels could manage while they waited for Tim and Charles, and the Army to come.

* * *

The northern campaign had been bloody. Queensland had been used by the Chinese as their entry point, and the Indonesians had followed. Any groups that were in the way were harassed from the air by invading aircraft as they headed south. They'd lost a lot of men from that, and there was no time to retrieve the bodies in the desperate hunt for shelter. The Army forces had been quick to surrender to the rebels, realising they were far beyond a simple rebellion and on the verge of invasion. Slowly, the groups of rebels and survivors made their way south, hoping to help with the resistance.

Once everyone had been gathered together again, they set up camp, not wanting to move yet until they'd had a chance to work out what to do next. They split off into small groups, setting up small camp fires as night fell. Wil, Chas, Julian and Craig sat around their own fire, watching the rabbits cooking. Craig had insisted they catch fresh meat. He was sick of dry rations. Chassy was curled up at Julian's feet, as usual, watching the dancing flames as he nursed his injured arm. He'd taken a hit to the shoulder from one of the Chinese planes and was lucky to have walked away with that while others lay dead around him. Wil appeared affected by a melancholy of his own. Julian wondered who he missed so badly.

"So, what's the plan? Do we stay here? Do we move on? Should we try and find an Army base that hasn't been destroyed and try and contact the others? Or just head south anyway? Do you think it's all over up here?" Julian said.

"Dunno, mate. I'd have to talk to Adam, see what's happened and if he needs us to move. I suggest a small party heads off to find a way to contact them, and the rest stay here. No point in moving when we don't have to. There's plenty of fresh water, and the forest appears to contain small moving animals we can kill if necessary, so it's not like it'll be too tough staying here. Best give the guys a rest before we have to engage in really heavy fighting. Think that rabbit's ready yet?" Wil said.

"Might be. Chassy, check the rabbit," Julian said.

"Arm, Julian. I'm still injured, you know. Check it yourself," Chassy said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Julian said, checking the rabbit himself.

"Yeah, you're really showing me how much you care," Chassy said and curled up again.

Deciding the meat was done, Julian pulled them from the fire and onto what would have to do as a cutting board to cut up the meat between them. It was just plain meat as they lacked the fresh vegetables and other trimmings to make a decent meal of it. It would have to do until they could find other fresh food. Craig was glad to have proper food for once, in spite of the lack of vegetables. Chassy glared at Julian as he got his. Wil sat back and stared at the ground as he picked at his serving.

"Wil, what the fuck's wrong with you?" Chassy said, unable to stand his sulking any longer. Getting up stiffly, Chas made his way over to him and sat down at his feet, guilt tripping him into talking with his puppy dog eyes, his meal left behind.

"It's… it's difficult to tell. I didn't - I mean, what I meant was-"

Wil stopped, unable to work out how to say what was wrong.

"Would it help if everyone else buggered off?" Chassy suggested. "Come on, we'll get away from here. Then you can tell me what's wrong," he said.

Wil nodded reluctantly as Chassy got to his feet. Wil followed as Chassy took his hand, leading him back behind the old Army base and away from prying ears. Setting the lamp down on an old tree stump, Chas sat him down against the wall.

"Now, what the fuck's wrong with you? Is it something to do with Adam?" Chas guessed.

"Maybe. It's hard to articulate," Wil said.

"How long have you wanted him?" Chas said.

"Too long. But he'll never be mine, not now. Hamish is too precious to him for Adam to give him up for me," Wil said with a sigh.

"Did you ever think of telling him how you feel?" Chas said.

"I never got the chance. Now it's too late. I'll just have to live with being alone now," Wil said.

"Oh stop being so melodramatic. You'll be alright. Surely you and Tim-"

"He doesn't want me, not that way. I mean, we mess around and all that, but that's all it is," Wil said.

"Shit. I didn't realise-"

"It's alright. It's just - I knew Adam before Hamish did, and I feel like he's taking him away from me. What am I supposed to do?" Wil said.

"Let Adam be with who he wants to be with?" Chas said.

"Even if letting him go will break my heart?" Wil said.

"Even so. Look, you're clearly not going to separate them, so why lend yourself the pain? Let go and find someone else," Chas said.

"I just wish I knew he was alright, you know? I hate not being able to find out how he is. Maybe they've all been rounded up and the State's taken control again. Maybe the Chinese have bombed the shit out of the city and they're lying dead in the rubble of some building. The worry is killing me," Wil said.

"Maybe we should send a small group out to try and contact them again, just to make sure. I mean, we can't stay up here forever. I'm sure we'll be needed eventually," Chas said.

"Yeah, but we'll sort that out in the morning. Best - best get some sleep for now," Wil said.

"Try not to think about it, alright? Want me to cuddle with you?" Chas said.

"Oh, you don't have to. Besides, you've got Jules-"

"He can survive one night without me. Come on, you need puppy snuggles," Chassy said, nudging Wil's hands with his nose in a bid to look adorable.

Wil was unable to not laugh at him as Chas insisted on snuggles. Wil was careful not to hurt him, but Wil suspected Chas didn't mind as much as he was letting on. He had to laugh when Chas started licking his face playfully, and Wil wanted to both hug him tight and push him away. Chas was determined to have his way and pinned Wil down, nuzzling his neck softly.

"Come on, bed time. You get Chassy snuggles tonight," Chas said, grabbing Wil's collar in his mouth as he tried to pull him up.

"You're gonna wreck your shoulder if you keep that up. Come on, let go and look after yourself. Jules would hate it if you hurt yourself further," Wil said.

Chas let go, annoyed at Wil's protectiveness. "Alright, alright, I'll stop. But get up anyway. Bed time for Chassy," he said.

Satisfied he'd got his way, Chas stepped back and let Wil pull them both to their feet. They made their way back to the fire where Wil sat down again and Chas curled up at his feet.

* * *

By the time the Army had arrived to make a deal at last, it was nearly sunset. A few of the bodies had already been recovered and laid out in a makeshift morgue for identification and burial. The Chief of the Defence Forces had come to meet them, being the most senior official of the State regime left. Adam met him in front of what was the main entrance of Parliament House. Both looked over the rubble again as the soldiers the Chief brought with him got to work with the rebels, clearing the rubble and recovering bodies.

"We meet in the most sombre of occasions," the Chief said.

"Indeed. This wasn't our doing. I'm not sure what did this. It was not my plan to kill so many," Adam said.

"Is it over then?" the Chief said.

"How pressing is China? Do we need to concentrate all our efforts on pushing them out of the country? How far have they gone down the coast?" Adam said.

"Last I heard they were on the Queensland-New South Wales border, and they're about to descend on Perth. They've wiped out the centre and they're moving down to Adelaide. If they keep this pace, they'll have overrun the country in a couple of days. We're fighting them as best we can, but some of our forces are still fighting your rebels instead of moving against the invaders," the Chief said.

"I'm prepared to call a truce and ally against them, if that's what's needed. The Chinese have gotten us some of their weapons, some surface-to-air missiles and other things. But we don't have the arsenal the Army has. If we both agree that the country needs to be reborn out of tyranny, then we can ally and sort out the country once the invaders have gone," Adam said.

"It may have to do for the moment. There were surprisingly few who actually believed you would start a war. Most believed it was all talk and you had nothing. You sure proved us wrong," the Chief said.

"It was the only course of action we knew would work, much as we hated it. It was our very last resort. We figured if we failed now, we'd be wiped out for good. We didn't think we had another choice left," Adam said.

"You were probably right. There were secret plans for what was crudely termed an extermination programme. Some of the most senior Government members truly wanted to wipe you out for good. Thankfully, you started your rebellion so we didn't have to put those plans into place. Let me tell you, they were not pleasant. Be thankful you were spared that," the Chief said.

"I am thankful for that. Are you the highest ranking Government person left?" Adam said.

"I'm the only one in charge of the Defence Forces now, at the very least. I'm not sure who else is left. I'm willing to call off fighting with the rebels if it means we can ally and fight together against the invasion forces," the Chief said.

"We've found five survivors so far, but they're badly injured. We're not sure who they are yet," Adam said.

"I think it's best we leave our forces here to help clear this mess and call our sides together. We need to work on a strategic plan that'll work with the addition of your fighters. You'll have to educate me on what you winged humans can do. It's been so long since we had them in the Armed Forces that we've no idea how best to deploy them in combat," the Chief said.

"I'd be happy to help. Is there any way we can tell everyone at once? The sooner we can organise this, the sooner we can fight against them and the sooner we can get them out of our country," Adam said.

"We can use what's left of the national media networks to get the message across, and of course, I'll have the message passed through to all the troops, as I'm sure you will. Come on, let's go see what's left to use," the Chief said.

* * *

Adam and the Chief of the Army set about broadcasting news of the end of the civil war and the alliance between the two groups in order to fight off the invaders. Reservist soldiers were sent to tend to those that had fled the city, while the main battle contingent prepared to confront the Chinese and the Indonesian forces.

Adam, Hamish, and now Tim and Charles, gathered together with the Chief and his most senior officers to plan their attack. It was vital they got it right, or they would be overrun before they could fight back. Intelligence and surveillance information was hard to ascertain. The speed the Chinese were travelling down the coast was astonishing. Clearly, they were heading straight for Canberra.

"We shouldn't concentrate all our efforts here. We'll leave ourselves exposed. We need good troop numbers around the rest of the country, and a significant number here to fend them off. Have we found out the exact number of foreign troops yet?" Adam said.

"Not yet. We know there are troop carriers offshore up near Cairns and Darwin, but they haven't come ashore, so we're not sure what to make of it. They have got a significant number of ground troops supporting the air strikes, but that's it. They're not destroying everything. They're heading straight here and destroying anything that gets in the way. There are also reports that they've been hitting Army bases with near-precision. How much recon did you share with them?" the Chief said.

"Not much, and certainly not detailed maps. We were careful with what we shared when we were planning our attacks. That doesn't mean they didn't look at our maps without us knowing though. Given that they betrayed us, which we should've seen coming, I wouldn't have been surprised if they'd had plans all along to invade and used us as an excuse to get themselves invited in. But when your people are on the verge of being wiped out by an oppressive regime, you're willing to try anything to survive and instigate change," Adam said.

"Let's just concentrate on driving them out. I for one don't blame you for your actions. If you hadn't done anything, we'd still be stagnating," the Chief said.

"True, true. Stagnation isn't good for a country. It breeds corruption," Adam said.

"And there was plenty of it hanging around, which I'm sure you know all about," the Chief said.

"We knew about it, alright. Some of it we exploited for our own gain and survival," Adam said.

"I'm sure you did. Most people did. If they weren't bribing the cops, it was others. This whole country stunk of corruption. But thanks to you, we've got a chance to start over," the Chief said. "So, where are your men stationed at the moment? How best can we utilise them, do you think?"

"In this state alone, I know there's a large group on the Queensland-News South Wales border, plus, all the troops here. There was a group in the west as well, but I haven't heard from them yet to know how they're going. Hopefully, they're alright. In other states, we started with groups of around four to five thousand, although it was larger in Melbourne than in the other states. There was also a larger group in the Northern Territory as well, mainly because a lot of fullwings sought refuge up there away from the city and the corruption. I lived up there for a while myself when I was organising them all. No one bothered us there. The soldiers never crossed the border," Adam said.

"Do you think we have enough manpower to push them out if we combine our forces completely?" the Chief said.

"Maybe. We might just have enough. But I think our first priority should be working out where they are and where we are and how best to move against them first," Adam said.

"I've got my men onto it already, gathering intelligence from the field. Hopefully, together we can take back our country and start over again," the Chief said.

* * *

"They're here! Get the missiles ready! They'll be dropping bombs any second now! Protect everyone who can't fight back and get them out of here!"

The Major serving with Chris protecting the makeshift hospital had heard the planes first. He had run to the others, making sure they knew danger was coming. Everyone began to panic. Patients were evacuated first, loaded onto trucks as fast as possible before driving off to safety, leaving the soldiers there to defend the place. When they ran out of trucks and other vehicles, as the sickest patients went first, the rest were left to be defended by the soldiers. There was no other option.

It was then that time stopped for Chris. He heard Andrew calling to him as he ran away from the hospital. He'd clearly been left behind as he wasn't physically injured. Chris turned to see him and a few others, running as fast as they could. Chris and the others encouraged them to run faster as the planes closed in.

Only ten metres away, the hospital was destroyed, bombed beyond recognition. The blast slammed into Andrew and the others running for safety.

Andrew stumbled and collapsed into Chris' arms as Chris ran out to him. Kneeling on the ground, Chris grabbed him tightly. Andrew was crying and groaning. Chris looked down to see blood covering Andrew's back. Shrapnel.

"Oh God," Chris whispered. "A-Andrew? You alright?"

Andrew couldn't answer; he was in too much pain to answer.

With missile fire all around them, Chris dragged Andrew towards the jeeps, wanting to get him sheltered as they fought off the planes.

"Major! We need to get out of here! Now!" Chris yelled as it became apparent the planes were going to outgun them.

The Major hesitated, looking to the Lt Col for direction.

"What are you waiting for? Get those injured into the trucks and return fire as we go! We need to retreat! Now!" the Lt Col said as he sent another missile towards the planes.

That spurred everyone into action. The injured were gathered up, the dead left where they lay, and the missiles were shot into the planes as the trucks sped off into the distance, hoping to escape them.

* * *

"Adam. They've just hit Sydney. They're pelting it with bombs. Everyone's terrified and trying to fight back, but most are just running scared." Hamish ran in bearing the bad news.

"Shit. They're moving fast. We need to move now, sir, or they're going to overrun us before we can fight back," Adam said.

"I agree. Get word to your men. We're moving in now. Close in around them. Tell them to head south and try and keep them at bay from there. I've already ordered our planes into combat. Hopefully we can outnumber them. The Navy's off attempting to destroy their troop carriers and cut off their reinforcements. Do you think the plans are enough?" the Chief said.

"It's all we've got. We can only hope it works," Adam said.

"Adam, Chris just called in, they've lost one of the hospitals, they've got several badly injured with them. They're attempting to help them as they escape," Hamish said as he got off the radio. He'd been communicating with all the groups as best he could to help feed the planning.

"Shit. This could only get worse," Adam said.

"One of the injured is Andrew. Got hit with shrapnel, Chris said he's bleeding badly. They're trying to find the nearest hospital that's still intact to see if they can't save them," Hamish said.

Adam swallowed. That was worse. "This is all my fault. I should never have let him fight. Seb warned it would get him killed," he said.

"He-he's not dead, not yet, but Chris… Chris said it's not looking good," Hamish said.

"Well, there's nothing we can do for them, not from here. Look, tell them to do what they can. We're beginning our assault on the Chinese, the joint venture between the State and the rebels. Get onto all the groups and tell them to close in. Those in the north at the Queensland border need to come south to reinforce the troops down here. That's where the Chinese are, so that's where we'll pin them down. And then we wait for them to give in," Adam said.

"Right. I'm onto it, Adam," Hamish said.

"Good boy," Adam said with a smile. "Now all we need to do is hope this plan works."

* * *

Wil landed back at the camp after he'd gone off searching for a working radio at one of the old Army bases. "We're moving out!"

"We're moving out? What's the plan?" Julian said as Wil and his small party returned.

"We're moving south, blocking the Chinese. Get camp packed up. We're needed now!" Wil said.

The urgency swamped the camp as everyone hurriedly packed up and got ready to march. Wil was amazed at their eagerness. He'd never seen them get ready so quickly. In less than an hour, they were on the move, heading south back towards Sydney as fast as they could.

"The end is nearing, can't you taste it in the air, Jules?" Chassy said as he marched enthusiastically beside Julian.

"Yeah, it's feeling good. Hopefully, this will be it," Julian said.


	31. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years later, the war is finally over, and those that managed to survive try to get on with the the huge task of rebuilding a damaged nation.

Adam stood on the new foundations, watching the construction work before him. It had barely been three months since they'd finally won their country back. The conflict had been bloody and long, with the Indonesians proving more stubborn than the Chinese, who had been forced to withdraw once their resources ran out. But now, the building could begin again once the invaders had been sent packing. Overseas aid from the few countries still willing and able to send it had helped speed up the rebuilding process as displaced people searched for some sort of stability back in their lives again after years of conflict, though it was slow progress.

Adam had gotten out of it very lightly, he thought. He thought it was quite unfair that while he had sustained only superficial injuries, others had been killed, most in quite nasty circumstances. Some of them had been very close friends, which just made things worse. He hated burying the dead and inscribing their names on the wall. The sheer number of them was too much to handle some days. Hamish said he cared too much about everyone. Adam had thought it an insult, a weakness for a soldier, but Hamish had corrected him. What the world needed, he'd said, was more people who cared so much, otherwise they'd just keep on killing each other. Adam couldn't argue with that.

Hamish had almost been assassinated several times over the course of the battle. He'd dodged so many sniper bullets, Adam was convinced one day he wouldn't be so lucky. Hamish wasn't sure why he kept on surviving, but whatever was protecting him, he was glad of it. The last attempt had left him with a pronounced limp and a shattered patella. Neither Adam nor Hamish would quite work out why they'd been aiming at his knee in the first place, but he'd survived in spite of it all, and Adam was very glad about that. He still needed a cane to help him walk, but neither thought this was a bad thing, all things considered. Adam hoped they'd be able to fix his knee properly now that the fighting was over.

"Isn't it wonderful?" Adam said.

"That's one way of putting it, that's for sure. I'm glad it's finally over. So many died. Have we buried them all yet?" Hamish said.

"Some are still being identified. Bombs can do nasty things to a human body. Those identified have been laid to rest. We've set aside a special area of the Capital to bury them as a memorial to this bloody conflict. All the names from the old warehouse have been inscribed onto a wall nearby, including Seb's. It's fitting that they all should be remembered together. Did you get around to doing Andy's yet?" Adam said.

Hamish shifted, not wanting to remember he'd lost him. "Not yet. It's... too hard, you know? Means he's really gone. My scar hasn't itched since. It's not as comforting as I'd have liked. I don't suppose you've found his body, have you?"

"Not much hope of that, sorry. We did find these, though." Adam reached into his pocket and brought out Andy's dog tags. "I felt you might want them."

Hamish took them gratefully, feeling a small sense of peace. It wouldn't heal the grief, but at least he had something to connect to. His scar itched, just a little, and Hamish smiled. Maybe there was something to that whole life after death thing and Andy was still around somewhere. His hand closed around the dog tags and he fought back a tear.

"Thanks, Adam. Means a lot. I still wish he was alive to see this."

Adam brought an arm around his shoulders, bringing him close. "Me too, Ham. Me too. I wish no one had died, but that was hardly going to happen."

Hamish sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Doesn't mean it hurts any less though. I should've been leading that mission. I should've been killed, not him."

Adam turned to face him. "Don't beat yourself up over it. I've been there. It achieves nothing. It hurts to lose him, yes of course it does. You think I'm not grieving for everyone we lost? You think it doesn't hurt to write everyone's names on that wall? Because it does hurt. Every single day it hurts. But I have to keep on going. I've got the responsibility of bringing this country out of the ashes and back to life. We owe it to our dead to build a better country. Don't you think so?"

Hamish hissed as the scar on his palm began burning. Looking at his hand, there seemed to be no visible wound, and yet...

Adam looked at him curiously. "Scar hurting again, is it?"

"Burning. It's never hurt like this before," Hamish said.

"I keep telling you he's still around, don't I? I reckon he's letting you know he's got your back. Either that, or you've got a wound that needs looking after that you neglected to tell me about," Adam said with a grin. Hamish did manage a laugh, and Adam decided it was time to move onto slightly happier things. "Come on, let's go get Andy's name on the wall at last. I'm sure you'll feel better once you do that."

"Yeah, you're probably right, as usual. Come on, let's get it over with then. Lead the way, El Presidente," Hamish said, grinning at him.

* * *

Craig lay on his bed, staring at Caleb getting dressed after his shower. Craig had a grin the size of China on his face, eyes full of protective yearning. Caleb had managed to survive, and he and Craig had only found somewhere to live a few days ago. They'd moved their meagre possessions in and proceeded to spend that evening fucking in the place, making sure it had been properly welcomed and marked as theirs. It wasn't much of a house, small, quickly built, and kinda cold, but it was theirs, and it was better than the Army barracks they'd been living in previously.

"Hey, Caleb?" Craig said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" Caleb said as he tried to decide between two shirts.

"I'm glad you're here with me," Craig said.

"Hey, it's nearly my 25th birthday. We going to do anything to celebrate?" Caleb said as he chose the second shirt, throwing the first back onto the bed.

"Probably. Why? Got something in mind?" Craig said.

Caleb, now dressed, slumped into the bed beside Craig, taking a hand in his. "I thought we might, you know, have some time to ourselves. I know it's not exactly easy now, but I think that would be nice. Might help give us a sense of normality," he said.

"Oh, right, a weekend away or something, yeah? Did you have anywhere in mind?" Craig said.

Caleb smiled and leaned in close to whisper in Craig's ear. Craig's eyes lit up with glee at the suggestion.

"Why, you kinky little bitch. Now that is a good idea," Craig said.

"I take it you agree then?" Caleb said.

"Oh, I agree, alright. I'll ravish you so badly, you'll be begging me to stop," Craig said.

"Don't get so cocky. I know how to make you pathetically submissive," Caleb said.

Craig let out a small whimper. "Yes, yes you do. You're the only one who's managed it though," he said.

"I'll consider that a compliment then," Caleb said. "Now, what shall we do today?"

"I have to go see Jules about a few things first, but I think we'll have the afternoon to ourselves. You coming with me?" Craig said as he got up and grabbed a couple of things from the bedside table.

"Of course. I'm not staying here by myself," Caleb said.

"Didn't think you would. Wanna fly there?" Craig said, lifting up the harness. He could still carry Caleb on short flights, though he found himself tiring faster. His recovery time was not what it was. He was getting old, at least by fullwing standards, and his body had taken quite a beating during his lifetime. Craig was sure he wouldn't be able to fly one day. He hoped he was dead before that happened. War had taken a hell of a lot out of him, which he didn't tell Caleb about for fear of being seen as weak.

"Don't think I haven't been able to tell how tired it makes you. We'll walk, alright?" Caleb said.

"Alright, we'll walk. It is a nice day, after all," Craig said, putting the harness away, secretly grateful for Caleb's rejection of his offer.

"Here. Take your cane. I can tell your knees are bad today," Caleb said, handing him the shiny black cane he'd managed to acquire during the war.

Craig winced, but he was glad he'd noticed. He'd never tell Caleb, but he did appreciate how much he looked out for him. Craig could be rather stubborn when it came to not appearing weak. He was thankful he only needed one cane though. One knee was substantially worse than the other, though both had taken quite a beating over time.

"Do I need to massage them again? I've still got some of that oil Wil gave me a while back," Caleb said.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. They are aching a bit," Craig said, sitting back on his bed.

Caleb grabbed the bottle of oil from the bedside table and knelt in front of Craig. "Here, slip your pants off. It'll be easier on them."

"Is this just an excuse to see me half-naked?" Craig said, obediently slipping his pants down as Caleb helps pull them free.

"Do I need an excuse to see you half-naked?" Caleb said, pouring some oil onto his hands before wrapping them around his left knee, gently massaging the inflamed tissue.

Craig smirked at him, relaxing almost instantly as Caleb tended to his knees. Caleb was good with his hands in more than just a sexual context. Craig always felt better after Caleb had massaged his knees.

Caleb finished by kissing his thighs and pushing him back onto the bed, lying on top of him as he kissed him. Craig held him back, suddenly wanting to stay there and not go out.

"I think Jules can wait, don't you think?" Craig murmured.

Caleb smirked and kissed him again, in no hurry to leave him be.

* * *

Julian held Chas' hand as he walked down the long winding path through the gravestones still standing. Half the cemetery had been destroyed by Chinese bombs, but of those that remained, the one most important grave had survived. Julian had begged to have his mother's body returned to him to bury after she had been murdered, but by all accounts, she had been burnt and her body destroyed. All he had been given were some feathers, a locket, and a bracelet, and that was what he buried in the small grave at the edge of the cemetery.

It wasn't much of a grave, all things considered. There, in the grass, was a bronze plaque with ancient writing on it. It was overgrown and untidy. A rabbit was grazing when they arrived. It hopped off as they approached. Julian had a bunch of flowers he'd picked from the roadside. It wasn't much, but he hoped it would do. The cut flower industry wasn't exactly a high priority right now. Chas stayed back as he watched Julian kneel before the grave and lay the flowers gently beside the plaque. Chas could tell he was crying.

"We fucking did it, mum. We did it. We're free. How I wish you were here to see us now," Julian murmured.

Chas rested a hand on his shoulder, remaining silent. Julian got out a small pocket knife and began cutting the grass away from the plaque so it could be seen again. There was a small plastic tube stuck in the ground on one side that could be used to hold flowers. Julian cleaned up the grave with tenderness and care, scraping moss and lichen from the bronze metal and cutting a crisp edge around it. The flowers he'd brought were arranged delicately and a dash of water poured in the tube to sustain both the flowers and the grave.

Julian knelt, his hands resting on his thighs. Chas knelt beside him, reaching over to grab his hand gently.

"I'm sure she's bloody proud of you. You're a hero. None of this would've happened without your organisation. You were able to pull that initial rebellion together in a way that no one else was able to. Without you, this would never have happened. I think you should be our first new President. I think you'd do an excellent job," Chas said.

"Me? President? Nah, not my thing. But I'll be there, ready to help out where I can. I'm so glad you're still here with me. I don't think I'd have been able to cope if you'd died in combat," Julian said.

Chas cuddled up to him and nestled his head into his neck. "Came close a few times though. I managed to pull through. Not even having my plane shot down and crashing into jungle could kill me. Fuck, I'm a lucky guy."

"I was so worried when Adam told me you'd been shot down. I got Adam's leave to run to your side. When we finally found you, and you were alive, I've never been happier in my life. I knew I should never have let you go off on your own like that," Julian said.

"Hey, I'm a big boy. I know how to look after myself. Not my fault that Indonesian bastard snuck up on me. I'd taken out four planes before he came along and spoiled my record. Fucker. But I was back in a plane two months later and finally beat my 6 plane record. I showed them, the fuckers," Chas said.

"I should've known I'd never be able to keep you grounded," Julian said.

"It'll take more than your protective streak to keep me out of a plane, Julian. Why didn't you want to rejoin the Air Force with me anyway? They promoted you and everything," Chas said.

"I'm too old for all that now. I appreciate the recognition, but it's not for me, not anymore. I've seen more than enough war for one lifetime. But if you want to keep flying, I won't stop you. Just don't get yourself shot down again," Julian said.

"I won't. I'm not really doing much flying anymore anyway. I am a Wing Commander now," Chas said.

"The best damn Wing Commander ever," Julian said.

"I look after my boys, just like I look after you," Chas said, pulling Julian into a gentle kiss.

"I wish mum had met you. I think she'd love you. Pity all my family's gone now. I never saw them again after she died," Julian said, sadness creeping into his voice again.

"Did they kick you out? I don't think you ever told me," Chas said.

"They blamed me. Told me I should've been stronger and taken mum's place. She wouldn't have let me even if I'd suggested it. I was left for dead. I was taken in by a family from my school. It meant I could finish my education and get into the cadets programme, like everyone else. That meant I could survive. Without that, I'd have died on the streets," Julian said. He sniffed as he fought back tears again. "I wish I still had some photos of her. I can't really remember what she looked like anymore. Apart from her wings. I'm sorry, mum. I didn't mean to forget you."

Chas wrapped his arms around his shoulders and brought him close. Julian wept, the pain still as raw and aching as it had been when he was fourteen.

* * *

Chris, Craig, Julian and Chas found themselves at the hospital again. Andrew had managed to survive the shrapnel, but his mind had required more than just physical healing. He was still here, five years later. Chris hoped that he would improve faster now that the conflict was over and the hospital wasn't being bombed every few months.

Andrew was at the window again, overlooking the newly planted gardens. Chris smiled as he saw him in his stripy pyjamas he'd taken a liking to since Chris had bought them for him last Christmas. It hadn't been much, but it was one of the days when the conflict was at a low ebb and Chris felt safe visiting him. Andrew was happier then than he'd been for a long time, and to have received a gift, even if it was just stripy pyjamas, meant the world to him.

Chris walked up to him and stood beside him, a hand unconsciously resting on top of Andrew's as they looked over the view below. Chris was sure he would always love Andrew, no matter what happened. He was convinced it was only because of his devotion in coming to see him as often as he did that Andrew was still hanging on and getting better. Chris gave him something to live for.

"I like it when you visit. I feel less… alone. And it's quieter, up there, you know?" Andrew murmured, gesturing vaguely at his head.

"So you're doing alright then?" Chris said quietly, matching Andrew's tone.

"I think so, yeah. They're not in control anymore. The voices, I mean. Every day they get softer. Hopefully, they'll be gone one day," Andrew said. "You don't stay long enough. I wish you'd come more often. I miss you so much. I asked them if you could stay with me, but they said no. They-they don't want you getting hurt."

Chris cringed at the disappointment in his voice. He came as often as he could, but apparently, it still wasn't enough. "I wish I could stay with you all the time, but we've got so much work to do. I try and see you when I can. I miss you. When are you getting out of here? It seems like you've been here forever," Chris said.

"Soon, I hope. I'm getting sick of these walls, especially when I can't be with you," Andrew said. "Shall we go for a walk? I'm allowed in the gardens all by myself now," he said as he turned to look at Chris.

"Yeah, yeah, that sounds nice," Chris said.

Andrew smiled and took his hand. "Come on, this way, precious," he half-sang as he led him outside.

The others followed behind them, holding back until Chris said they could talk to him. It was a nice day, and the gardens brimming with new life. Andrew led Chris to the new pond, sitting down on the grass under a tree. Chris and the others joined him, Chris still holding Andrew's hand tightly.

"Can we have a pond when I get out of here? I like it. It's calming," Andrew said.

"Sure, we can have anything you want, precious," Chris said, kissing the back of Andrew's hand gently as if to seal his promise.

"And fish. I'd like some fish to look after, and maybe a puppy," Andrew said.

Chas couldn't resist the offer and crawled over to Andrew, butting his free hand with his nose in a bid to gain attention. Andrew smiled and looked down at him, stroking a hand through his hair. It was comforting to feel another person like that.

"Sorry, Chassy, I forgot I already got a puppy," Andrew said with a grin.

Chassy nuzzled his way next to Andrew, who wrapped his arm around his back. Chassy licked Andrew's face playfully, sending everyone into fits of laughter as Andrew tried to fend him off. Andrew found himself on his back as Chassy pinned him down. Chris sat there watching as Craig tried to join in, tickling Andrew as best he could. Chris marvelled that Andrew was laughing, and not just half-arsed laughter, but the happiest, most genuine laughter he'd heard from him in years. Maybe he would be out soon after all.

Chris watched Andrew playing fetch with Chassy, with the others trying to find the most bizarre things for Chassy to fetch, from shoes, sticks, and bark to clothing and anything else they could find.

* * *

Wil sat in a bar, happy to be able to drink again. He'd missed his alcohol during the conflict, and had been at the bars as soon as they'd reopened a few days ago. Just downing his fourth beer, someone decided to interrupt him.

"Hey, you gonna sit in here drinking all night? I wanna play," came a very familiar voice as an accompanying hand landed on his shoulder.

Wil turned to see who had turned up. "Hey, I haven't had a decent drink for… I dunno, but is a very long time ago, so leave me alone, Tim," Wil said, wincing at how drunk he sounded.

"So my baby won't come home, not even for playtime? I've got beer back at my place, you know," Tim said, trying to encourage him.

"You gonna tie me up again?" Wil muttered in a small voice so the rest of the bar wouldn't hear him. He didn't like proclaiming his desires to an entire room full of strangers, not when Tim was being so enticing and distracting and why did he have to be using his tongue like that? Wil was getting annoyed with him. Ever since they'd finally gotten together, Tim had been teasing him constantly, and Wil was almost sick of it, in an 'I can't get enough of it' kinda way.

"I'll do whatever you want, love," Tim whispered.

Wil shivered. Now that did sound promising. He sculled his beer and got to his feet. "Home it is then," he said.

Tim chuckled and led him out by the arm.

* * *

Andrew was always slightly sad when Chris had to leave, but it did mean he could have a bit of quiet time. He remained outside in the gardens, just walking slowly as the sun set around him. The ducks were settling down for the night and the wind was beginning to pick up. Just as he headed towards the trees at the back of the gardens, he saw someone sitting on one of the benches. Andrew didn't remember seeing him there before and approached him, taking a seat next to him. Looking over at him, Andrew was surprised to see Charles sitting there, a small photo frame held in one hand that contained an old photo of Dom. Charles gazed off into the distance, his face expressionless.

"Hey. I didn't think you'd need a place like this. You okay?" Andrew said.

"If I was okay, I wouldn't be here," Charles murmured.

Andrew shifted to face him. "What happened?"

"Everything happened. My mind has been destroyed. I haven't slept for weeks."

Charles looked at him, and then Andrew understood. He shifted close to him encouraged Charles to wrap an arm around him. "It'll be alright. You've got me now. I understand, even if no one else does."

Charles wanted to cry. The photo fell to the ground and Charles hugged him tight. "I... I don't know how to feel anymore. Every time I close my eyes, I see them. Everyone who died. Everyone I killed. I'm scared."

"You're a soldier. You think I haven't been through the same thing? You wouldn't believe the nightmares I've had, not at all. There are times I'm grateful for the gaps in my memory." Andrew closed his eyes a moment as he pushed aside a dream remnant he didn't particularly want to revisit.

"But you had it so much worse than me. What excuse do I have for this?" Charles stared at the ground and kicked a clump of grass with his foot.

"I know what you've been through. You'd better not give up on me now. I kinda like having you around," Andrew said.

Charles didn't speak. He hadn't exactly been planning to kill himself, but he'd been a few drinks away from trying when he'd been dragged here by Chas a few weeks ago. He'd found it a difficult atmosphere to be in. There were too many broken soldiers around, the remnants of great soldiers who had been destroyed by what they'd been forced to do. If it was supposed to make Charles feel better, all it did was make him depressed. He pressed a soft kiss to Andrew's head and wondered what else he could do. Healing meant confronting the nightmares in his head and he wasn't sure he was strong enough for that yet. But maybe... But maybe with Andrew by his side, he might have a chance of getting there one day.


End file.
